Strength Takes Time
by Suki-Itami
Summary: ----Sequel to "I Gave Him the Time"---- If love takes strength, then strength must take time.
1. To be Alive

Each journey gives rise to chance encounters

_And each encounter brings forth a farewell_

_When a farewell leads to a journey_

_The worlds open their hearts_

_Those chosen by the light_

_Or ensnared by darkness_

_Friends who share the same bonds_

_Though their paths may differ_

_When you doubt the path trod thus far_

_When the hand you held is lost to you_

_Gaze anew at the question that once was…_

_For all the answers are within_

~Kingdom Hearts 2

…

He had no idea where he was, he just knew it was cold and damp and mostly empty. Kenji opened his eyes groggily; he had no idea what had prevented him from dying. He had seen the warm, welcoming light of death but something had disallowed him from going into it.

Kenji sensed someone lying beside him and looked over at Misaki. All he saw were tears still slowly running down her face and her swollen bruised arm. He sat up slowly, knowing that the pain from the weapons might still hurt.

Kenji looked over at her again and only saw that her shirt and pants were ripped into almost nothing, and the large bruise on her back. He became angry immediately and tried to stand up, but couldn't. He looked at where his wounds were and saw that what once was part of Misaki's clothes was being used as bandages.

Kenji looked back over at Misaki and didn't see any kind of movement to signify breathing. He used his good hand to search for a pulse. He found one; it was strong enough to keep her alive…but not for very long if nothing was done. He turned Misaki onto her back and saw the significantly large bruise on her stomach too. The only bruise he couldn't see was the one on her chest.

Kenji realized the trouble Misaki had just to breathe and sat her up against the nearest wall. He went to take off his sound jacket to use for a sling for Misaki's arm and felt a jarring pain through his hand. Kenji looked at his hand and saw the ribbon and headband around it. He smiled a little and took off his jacket, tying it around Misaki's neck loosely and resting her arm in the bottom of it.

Misaki was still having a lot of trouble breathing; she didn't seem to keep breathing at all sometimes.

Kenji's eyes went to the large bruise on Misaki's stomach. It was completely black; there was barely any other color at all. Misaki coughed violently for a moment before becoming silent again.

Kenji looked up and saw the blood running down the sides of her mouth. _Internal bleeding…? Those bastards…! They… They really hurt her!!_

Kenji was getting more and more angry by the second; he could feel a surge of power he hadn't felt in a long time pulsing through his body. The chakra restrictions Orochimaru had put on him were slowly breaking.

The guards at the door had felt something powerful and opened up the door to see what it was. They were greeted with a large explosion that took out half of the so-called hide out on the beach.

Mizukake was directly above where the prison in the basement was, so only felt what might've been considered an earthquake… Had it not been for the explosion…

Mizukake looked down from the edge of what was left of his base and jumped down to the basement. He noticed the prison door open and walked over to it. Kenji ran out of the cell at inhuman speeds and pinned Mizukake down to the ground by his throat.

Mizukake became scared at this new person. Kenji had a different look in his eyes, an almost murderous look.

Kenji smirked evilly at the man he had pinned. His wounds didn't bother him really as much as they should've, and his hand was no longer had the pain it should've had going through it. He had taken the headband off of his hand and put it next to Misaki, but he still had the ribbon around his hand.

"Who **are** you? You're not the weakling we captured!" Mizukake said through his fear.

Kenji continued smirking as he said, "My name is Kenji Uchiha-Hatake… And you…are nothing." He ripped out Mizukake's throat, staining his hand with blood.

Behind Kenji, more of Mizukake's henchmen were rushing towards him, aiming to kill. One of them drove a spear into Kenji's back, thinking that would kill him, only to have his heart torn out. Kenji's Sharingan was blazing, he didn't need it, it had just been activated on a subconscious impulse.

Kenji ripped the spear out of his back, the wound healing immediately, and threw it at someone else who was trying to attack him. The spear was flying faster than it should've and went directly through the enemy ninja's heart.

Kenji faced the direction that he was sure they came from and summoned his swords. They came to him, and as soon as they were in his hands, Kenji spun into a half circle a chopped two enemy ninja's up. (Hmm… Sounds like Barry the Chopper.)

Kenji turned to face about fifteen others who came to aide their comrades. His face was already covered in a little bit of blood, and he knew more blood was coming… That alone made him laugh sadistically.

Nearly all of the ninja stopped in their tracks when they heard Kenji laughing, the rest turned around and fled. It scared the holy hell out of them to hear his voice like that: sadistic, murderous, vicious, and all around insane.

Kenji smirked evilly. "Heaven and Hell Twin Dragons!" Two dragons launched themselves from Elah and Ra, taking out any of the enemy that was still alive… Even those who were fleeing. The Shadow Dragon and a Heaven Dragon wrapped themselves around Kenji and waited there.

…

Misaki opened her eyes, shocked that she was alive. She looked to the side and noticed her headband next to her and picked it up. Misaki looked around, but didn't see Kenji. Misaki tried standing up, but was in too much pain to even move that much. She looked down and smiled when she saw Kenji's jacket being used as a sling. That's when she realized that Kenji wasn't within immediate eyesight.

"Kenji?!" Misaki shouted, forcing herself to stand up even though the pain was causing her to cough up more blood. "Where are you?!"

Misaki sensed a powerful chakra outside of the cell and walked towards it, having a feeling about who it was. When she was at the door, she saw him not too far away. Misaki didn't want to take another step towards him, but she couldn't have moved from that spot even if her life depended on it.

…

You walk on like a woman in suffering

_Won't even bother now to tell me why_

_You come along, letting all of us savor the moment_

_Leaving me broken another time_

…

Misaki could see some of the chakra radiating off of Kenji from where she was standing, along with the twin dragons. She just stood there, wide-eyed; she wanted to call for him but couldn't find her voice.

Kenji looked over as another wave – like a hundred and twenty – of enemy ninja came over a nearby sand dune. He scoffed and then smirked.

…

_You come on like a bloodstained hurricane_

_Leave me alone, let me be this time_

_You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption_

_I don't want to mention, the reason I know_

_That I am stricken and can't let you go_

…

Misaki gasped silently, scared at this new version of Kenji. Suddenly, out of nowhere, her mind went back to a conversation her and Kenji had a few months ago when he was drunk:

…

"_Hey Kenji! What's your strongest move, and how do I dodge it?" Misaki asked suddenly. She knew he would talk; he was drunker than Tsunade on a good day._

"_My stronger moves?" Kenji thought for a while, he was really drunk, his getting words mixed up with other words made it obvious. "Eight gate dragon barrage… No way to dodge… Only use…last resort…it's suicidal move…" He passed out._

_Misaki sighed. "Damn!"_

…

Misaki had no idea why her mind went directly to that conversation, until…

"Now you die!" Kenji said demonically. "Eight gate…"

…

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

_That I am crippled by all that you've done_

_Into the abyss will I run!_

…

_No! Kenji!_ Misaki didn't have to think about it, she just starting running towards Kenji even though it hurt her.

"Drag—"

"No, please don't!" Misaki shouted, she ignored the jarring pain going up and down her spine. Blood ran down the sides of her mouth, but she refused to stop to hack it up.

…

You don't know what your power has done to me

_I want to know if I'll heal inside_

_I can't go on with a holocaust about to happen_

_Seeing you laughing another time_

…

Kenji looked over at Misaki as she ran over to him, running past the two dragons and collapsing into his chest. "What the hell are you doing?! Do you want to **die**?!"

"Don't use that move! You'll die, it'll kill you!" Misaki said in between coughs and sobs.

"Why do you even care?!"

"Because…" Misaki stopped to cough up more blood.

…

You'll never know why your face has haunted me

_My very soul has to bleed this time_

_Another hole in the wall of my inner defenses_

_Leaving me breathless, the reason I know_

_That I am stricken and can't let you go_

…

_I realize now how much I've always…loved you…_ "You're my best friend, and the only one who I can really turn to! I need you here!" Misaki said after thinking about it for a moment.

"You're lying!" Kenji said, pushing Misaki to the ground. "You want me dead! You just want the pleasure of killing me yourself!"

…

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

_That I am crippled by all that you've done_

_Into the abyss will I run!_

_Into the abyss will I run!_

…

Misaki had tears running down her face at this point. "No! I'm telling the truth, please believe me!"

…

You walk on like a woman in suffering

_Won't even bother now to tell me why_

_You come along, letting all of us savor the moment_

_Leaving me broken another time_

_You come on like a bloodstained hurricane_

_Leave me alone, let me be this time_

_You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption_

_No one to mention, the reason I know_

_That I am stricken and can't let you go_

…

Kenji's facial expression suddenly became softer, less murderous. _Misaki…_ The dragons disappeared, but the enemy had already run back the way they had come from anyway. Kenji dropped to his knees.

…

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

_That I am crippled by all that you've done_

_Into the abyss will I run!_

_Into the abyss will I run!_

_I can't let you go!_

_Yes I am stricken and can't let you go!!_

("Stricken" by Disturbed)

…

Misaki went over to Kenji, wiping away her tears before she sat next to him. "Kenji? Are you okay?"

Kenji looked at Misaki, his eyes were normal; he seemed to be the same old Kenji again, except for the enormous amount of chakra still radiating off of him. He nodded slightly.

Misaki sighed in relief. "That's a relief."

Kenji stood up immediately.

"What're you doing? You shouldn't be up yet!"

Kenji grabbed Misaki's hand and helped her stand up. "We need to leave, now!"

Misaki shook her head. "We're both still injured! We need to wait just a little longer!"

Kenji shook his head. "No! We have to go before more enemies show up!"

Misaki tried to protest again, but dropped back to her knees and started coughing up blood again. She covered her mouth with the hand that still held her headband, staining that with blood as well. Kenji sighed in silent victory and bent down to pick her up. He carried her bridal style away from what was left of Mizukake's base. (Which was a crumbling wall.)

Kenji had been running for about a half an hour before he sensed someone following them.

Misaki lifted her head as she sensed someone following them. "Kenji, someone's foll—"

"I know." Kenji said, cutting Misaki off. He set her down against a rock and faced the idiot who was following them.

The idiot was the bitch named Hane that had thrown Kenji and Misaki down into the prison cell.

Hane smirked. "Nice display, you son-of-a-bitch. Listen, I only want to kill that bitch who's got you wrapped around her little finger. You can go."

Kenji scoffed. "You won't get near her!"

"Says who?"

"Me."

"And?"

Kenji put his hands into a seal and around fifteen Kenji clones appeared. "And the rest of us too." (All praise Lord Smart-ass! [Don't ask…])

Misaki was in shock; she was under the impression that Kenji couldn't do any kind of Genjutsu at all. She started coughing again, this time more violently. Blood came out of her mouth too fast to be considered healthy even by an idiot.

Kenji didn't even have to look back to see how bad off Misaki was at that moment, but he still did. Kenji had his clones attack Hane while he checked on Misaki. His clones all had an equal share of the chakra that Kenji had gotten from his broken chakra restrictions.

Hane didn't even have time to react before she was torn to bits. The clones disappeared and the chakra went back into Kenji's body. Kenji didn't know what to do now; they weren't that far from Suna, but Misaki was coughing up a lot of blood now. Luckily, Gai and Kakashi happened to poof up at that moment.

"Yo!" Kakashi said.

Kenji looked at his Sensei/adopted father confusingly. "Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi stood there with his usual expression. "Hey there. You seem to be doing just fine."

Gai walked over to his student, concerned about her coughing up blood. "Misaki, are you okay?"

Misaki glared at Gai, blood covered her chin and bottom lip. "Do I **look** okay?!"

"Um… Kakashi!" Gai looked over as the other Jonnin walked over to them.

Kenji picked Misaki up again without a second thought. He didn't even care that he was losing strength fast; he wasn't going to let it show.

Kakashi couldn't be fooled though. "You're going to need to be carried as well if you don't let Gai or myself carry her."

Kenji stopped mid-step and sighed. "Fine." He handed Misaki to Kakashi.

"What about me?" Gai asked, insulted.

"What about you?" Kenji said, starting to walk in the direction of the Sand Village again.

Gai sighed and followed Kenji and Kakashi back to the Sand Village.

…

"… I don't know how she lived through it." The doctor said as he finished telling everyone what exactly was wrong with Misaki.

Kenji had once again refused to be hospitalized, even after he finished getting bandaged and his hand was put in an actual brace.

Apparently there had been quite a lot of internal bleeding along with the nearly broken back and the broken/dislocated shoulder. Being hit in the chest with the stone club did a lot of damage that caused Misaki to not be able to breathe that well.

"How long will she be here?" Kenji finally asked.

The doctor looked at him weird. It could've been from the fact that about 60% of his body was covered in bandages, but that wasn't why. Kenji had wrapped Misaki's ribbon around his neck like a choker so that he wouldn't lose it. It looked…strange. (Lack of a better word…)

"Hello?" Kenji asked, annoyed at the strange look.

The doctor sighed and said, "Well, we don't have a lot of the necessary equipment to ensure that she'll get better soon… We're sending her back to Konohagakure. Lady Hokage is a medic, she should be able to figure out what to do."

Everyone nodded. It was the best choice to send her back to Konoha. Tsunade would be able to figure out what to do, she's saved a lot of people that were considered dead anywhere else. That included Misaki and Kenji once or twice. (Or three times…)

"She's sleeping right now. We managed to sedate her somehow. She's a stubborn one though." The doctor shook his head; it was obvious how much he hated stubborn patients.

Teams Gai and Kakashi nodded in agreement; after all the fights Misaki had instigated against Kenji, it would be hard to believe that she wasn't stubborn.

"You can go see her if anyone wants to." The doctor looked back as he heard someone approaching.

It was Misaki. She was walking with the usual posture and was acting as if she was just fine. Except for her arm being in a cast and a sling.

"Someone wanna tell me why I'm in a hospital in Suna?" Misaki asked, really annoyed. "It's not the location, it's the fact that I feel just fine!"

The doctor sighed and walked off, acting like someone who was giving up. Apparently, that wasn't first time Misaki's done that today.

Shinobu and Gaara ran in at that moment.

"Sorry it took us so long to get here! Gaara was in a meeting!" Shinobu said, trying to catch her breath.

Gaara nodded, also a little short of breath.

Misaki looked at her two Sand Village friends like they were crazy. "I'm feeling just fine."

Shinobu looked over at Misaki like **she** was crazy. "The reason you were put in the hospital was because you **don't** feel fine! You should be in a bed!"

"No! I'm fine!" Misaki argued.

"If she's able to argue, she must be feeling fine." Gaara said, one eyebrow rose in confusion. (Don't say a word about him having no eyebrows!!)

Kenji and Lee shook their heads. "No, normality just returned."

Gaara was even more confused. He knew that Misaki loved to pick fights and often argued a lot, but he didn't think she was that crazy. He was wrong…

Misaki looked over at Kenji. "Well, what about you? You should be in the hospital too!"

Kenji shrugged; even though he was covered in bandages he thought he was perfectly fine. "I'm not the one with internal bleeding."

Misaki sighed. "Just get me back home, or heal me, or something! I'm getting so sick of the damn hospital!!!" She started yelling, really annoyed and pissed.

"Well, I know a little about healing jutsu." Shinobu said hesitantly.

Misaki looked over at her friend. "You do?!"

Shinobu nodded. "Yeah."

Misaki gave her friend a hug. "Thank you…! You're now my favorite person!"

Lee's shoulder's slumped. _What about me?_

Shinobu hugged her friend back and told her to sit down in a nearby chair. Misaki sat down where her friend told her to and waited until there were no doctors around. Shinobu put her hand on Misaki's stomach and concentrated, green chakra flowed out of her hand and into Misaki's body.

After about five minutes Shinobu stood up straight, finished healing Misaki. "That's all I can do."

"I could've healed you." Kenji said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Misaki looked over at Kenji and shrugged. "I know, but Shinobu said something first."

"Oh…" Kenji sighed.

Misaki stood up, feeling even better. "Okay, lets go home!"

Lee nodded. "Yes, I am sure that Ara misses us."

Misaki nodded as well. "Yeah! And, besides that, Obito is probably getting tired of her."

Kenji and Kakashi shook their heads. "Nah! Not possible!" (Not if he's in Tobi-mode.)

Misaki smiled a little. "Yeah, but still, I don't want to be a burden."

Kenji almost said something, but Misaki put one finger on his lips to quiet him.

"Don't say a word!"

Kenji nodded and Misaki backed away from him again. "So, is there a carriage or something we can take back to Konoha?" He asked Gaara.

Gaara nodded. "You can use mine. It'll be faster than a normal one."

"Thanks."

Gaara shrugged and walked out of the hospital with everyone following him back to Kazekage Mansion. He didn't ask why everyone was following him; it meant that they wanted to go home then. Gaara told someone to go get the carriage, making everyone happy.

Shinobu turned to Misaki. "Hey, wait here for a minute! I have that burned CD you wanted."

Misaki smiled. "Yaay!"

Shinobu ran inside Kazekage Mansion and came back a few minutes later, after everyone was already in the carriage, and gave a CD and a portable CD Player to Misaki. "Consider the CD Player a really late birthday gift. I have another one at my house."

"Thanks Shinobu!" Misaki said, smiling. "See ya later."

Shinobu and Gaara waited until the carriage was out of Suna before going back in Kazekage Mansion.

"I hope they killed all of his followers." Gaara said randomly.

Shinobu looked at Gaara confusingly. "Of course they did. Kenji said they blew up the base." _Actually, he phrased it, "I blew up the base"._

Gaara shrugged. "True…"

"What's wrong?"

Gaara stopped and looked at Shinobu. "There were rumors about that Mizukake once being a Sound Ninja."

"They're just rumors." Shinobu said, skipping ahead of Gaara.

Gaara sighed and caught up to his girlfriend. "Maybe, maybe not."

Shinobu laughed, "You worry too much."

Gaara sighed. "Well, I have to get back to work."

"Aw…"

Gaara smiled and gave Shinobu a quick kiss. "I'll try to finish early enough to be on time for supper tonight."

Shinobu smiled and skipped towards her house. "Okay, see you tonight then!"

Gaara continued smiling as he continued walking towards Kazekage Mansion.

…

Misaki rested her head on Lee's shoulder, she was listening to the CD Shinobu had made her. The first song, "I Surrender" by Celine Dion, was ending. Misaki had accidentally stared at Kenji throughout the entire song. Luckily, he didn't notice. When "I Surrender" ended, Misaki closed her eyes as the next song started playing.

…

So young in love, they couldn't wait

_Said their vows, had to run away_

_Suddenly, they felt their lives had changed_

_They believed their hearts were strong_

_Just to find, they couldn't get along_

_The dream they shared had slowly come undone_

_Will she go or will she stay?_

_Fool herself for one more day_

_Don't give up_

_Never walk away_

_Love's the promise that he made_

_In his heart, it still remains_

_Don't give up_

_Never walk away_

_They had to meet, somewhere, halfway_

_Heart to heart and face to face_

_Compromise, a price they had to pay_

_Cared enough to stand her ground_

_Screamed and shouted 'till the walls came down_

_Worth the fight to see a brand new day_

_Will she go or will she stay?_

_Fool herself for one more day_

_Don't give up_

_Never walk away_

_Love's the promise that he made_

_In his heart, it still remains_

_Don't give up_

_Never walk away_

("Never Walk Away" by Journey)

…

When the song ended, Misaki opened her eyes again and sat up straight. She didn't want to believe those words, which had come directly from the song, were true. But somewhere in her heart she knew they were…

_Why does it seem like this now? It hasn't even been that long and, already, I don't feel the same towards Lee… I know that…_ Misaki looked in between Lee – who was sleeping against one side of the carriage – and Kenji – who had rested his head on Neji's shoulder – and felt torn. _I don't understand… I-I love Ke… No, it's not that, it can't be! I love Lee and only Lee!! But…do I really?_

…

**Sorry, no previews of next chapters during this installation of this series. Sorry!**


	2. Love's Hard Lesson

"_Red flowers are generally associated with __**love**__ and __**affection**__… But you know, geraniums have another meaning. In the language of flowers… 'Determination'…"_

~Rem – _Trigun_

…

Misaki turned off her CD Player and looked up at Kakashi, who was sitting right next to her. He was reading Icha Icha so she didn't think he would notice anything around him. As Misaki hung her head and was about to turn the CD Player back on, Kakashi looked over at her.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked, looking back at his book.

Misaki looked back up at Kakashi and shook her head. "It's nothing…" She looked over at Gai and saw that he was asleep too.

Kakashi laughed lightly and said, "Everyone else is asleep, you don't have to worry."

Misaki looked at everyone else and found that they **were** actually asleep. She was relieved at this; she didn't want anybody else worrying about her mental state.

"So, what is it?" Kakashi asked, turning the page.

Misaki thought about her words for a moment but finally said, "Kakashi… Do you ever feel like you're making the right decision, but for all the wrong reasons?"

"Hmm?"

"It's just that…I-I don't know about anything anymore…" Misaki looked at her feet. "I feel like this entire time I've been making a mistake…and I didn't even realize it until recently."

Kakashi smiled under his mask and closed his book. "Everyone has these doubts sometimes. It's something you just have to deal with until you're completely sure of what you feel or think."

"But how do you know when you're completely sure?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You just know."

Misaki smiled just the slightest. "Thanks Kakashi."

Kakashi shrugged again and opened Icha Icha again.

Misaki turned her CD Player back on and leaned back in the seat. She stared out the window at the clouds as "In Pieces" by Linkin Park played loudly. Misaki closed her eyes after a moment, falling asleep.

Kakashi looked back over at Misaki and Lee and could've sworn he saw something strange, different, about them. He shook his head. _Surely not…_

…

Tsunade was waiting at the gate when they arrived. Gaara had called her prior to Teams Kakashi and Gai leaving Suna.

As the carriage approached the gate, Tsunade sighed. She was told that Kenji and Misaki were injured and had refused to be hospitalized. "Oh, this is going to be **fun**." She said sarcastically.

When the carriage stopped, it took a few moments before somebody finally got out. It was Kenji, he was yawning. He hadn't liked the rude awakening he'd gotten at all. Tsunade was in shock when she saw that he was covered in bandages, she ignored the ribbon choker, it **was** Kenji after all.

"**What the hell** happened to you?!" Tsunade asked when she saw him.

Kenji looked over at Tsunade and shrugged. "Just a mild complication, nothing big."

"Uh-huh…"

Misaki stepped out next, still listening to the CD, which was currently playing "Fight For All The Wrong Reasons" by Nickelback. Tsunade and Kenji could both hear it; Misaki had been zoning everyone out since she had woken up.

Tsunade didn't understand what was wrong with Misaki – she hadn't been told – because there didn't seem to be any wounds aside from the broken arm. Just as Tsunade thought that, Misaki started coughing violently and just a small amount of blood stained her hand.

"What the hell?" Tsunade walked over to Misaki and turned off the CD Player. "What happened to **you**?!"

Misaki wiped the blood off of her hand and shook her head. "Nothing major."

"Nothing major, my ass!" Kenji said, walking over to Misaki. "Do realize how much blood you coughed up **before** we got back to Suna?!"

Misaki shrugged and kept her headphones around her neck as she put the CD Player in her pocket. "It doesn't matter anyway."

Kenji sighed in frustration. "Don't you realize how **worried** I was?!"

"You were worried about me? Why?" Misaki acted like she didn't care, but it actually made her happy.

Lee was behind Misaki, glaring at Kenji. He'd heard Kenji say that he was worried about Misaki and he didn't like it.

Kenji sighed in frustration again and turned around, walking into Konoha. Misaki sighed and turned her CD Player back on, turning it to "Jesus Of Suburbia" by Green Day. She walked into Konoha, making a beeline for the clinic.

As much as Misaki didn't want to be there, she knew that she had to be if she wanted to stop coughing up blood. _Damnable clinic!_

Lee had gone to go pick up Ara from Obito, at least that's what he'd said. Misaki wasn't sure if she could trust his word, as much as she had, anymore.

"Where're you going?" Kenji asked, walking up behind Misaki.

Misaki stopped, she hadn't heard him, but she'd sensed his chakra behind her. She turned around and pressed the pause button on her CD Player. "Did you say something?"

Kenji sighed. "I said: Where're you going?"

"Oh! The clinic. I really don't wanna go, but I **do** wanna stop coughing up blood." Misaki said, scratching the back of her head.

Kenji grabbed Misaki's wrist. "Come on, Lady Tsunade wants us to meet her at Hokage Tower."

Misaki blushed and pulled her hand away from Kenji. "Fine. J-Just don't do that again."

"Don't do what?"

Misaki shook her head. "It's nothing, just ignore me." She pressed the play button on her CD Player.

As the Green Day song ended, "Deeper Than Deep" by Cascada started to play. She sighed, not really sure what to think of the song playing.

Misaki hung her head, looking over at Kenji from the corner of her eye. _I can't believe I didn't see him before… He really is beautiful._ She didn't even care about him killing her team anymore, she no longer saw the killer…she only saw the man she'd accidentally fallen in love with.

Kenji looked over at Misaki when he realized she was looking at him. "Yeah?"

Misaki looked at the ground and blushed; she didn't even realize when her favorite song – "Miss Murder" by AFI – started playing. "Um… It's nothing…nothing at all."

She didn't have the volume up that loud, so she could hear everything perfectly. Even someone singing "Grand Theft Autumn" by Fall Out Boy as they walked passed the karaoke bar. Misaki stopped and hung her headphones around her neck.

Kenji stopped too; he didn't understand why Misaki stopped. "Misaki?"

Misaki looked back at Kenji and shook her head, continuing to walk. She put her earphones back on just as "Miss Murder" was ending and – coincidentally – "Grand Theft Autumn" started.

Misaki sighed; she couldn't believe that song either. She now lamented telling Shinobu to make the mix CD. She started regretting it even more as "The Night Before (Life Goes On)" by Carrie Underwood started playing.

"GODDAMN CD!!!" Misaki shouted, turning off the CD Player and shoving it in her pocket and hanging the headphones around her neck.

Kenji had cringed away from Misaki when she randomly started yelling. That was definitely one thing he wasn't expecting. "Um… Misaki?"

"Hmm?" Misaki tilted her head innocently and laughed. "Sorry, random outburst."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kenji asked, still slightly afraid of another outburst.

Misaki smiled and nodded. "Yeah, completely." She was lying; her mental state is slightly off.

"If you're sure…"

Misaki grabbed Kenji's arm. "Come on, we're not gonna be late!"

"Why?"

Misaki glared at Kenji. "Because you're always late, and I'm not, so come on!"

Kenji groaned, but willingly followed Misaki anyway.

…

Regardless of Misaki literally dragging Kenji up the stairs of Hokage Tower, they were still late… Earning quite a few glares from the people waiting. Which just happen to include Lee and Neji since they walked in with their arms linked. Which was actually Misaki just dragging Kenji into the room.

"Get up you lazy bum!" Misaki said to the half dead figure on the ground.

Kenji had been forcefully drug up the stairs, and the stairs attempted to take off the bandages on all of his still bleeding wounds. "Misaki, you're not a nice person."

Misaki smiled innocently. "But that's why everyone loves me!"

Lee got angry really fast and walked up behind Misaki, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "Why is your arm linked with **his**?!"

Misaki escaped Lee's arms and slipped her arm from around Kenji's. "Because I didn't wanna be late, and the only way that was gonna happen was if I dragged him up here."

"You're still late." Tsunade said, sighing.

Misaki sighed too. "Yeah, I know. That's because the lazy bum over there had to be drug up the stairs, literally."

Tsunade shook her head and said, "Well, I just really need to talk to Kenji and Misaki about the extent of their wounds. Everyone else can leave, unless you feel the need to stay."

Everyone else except for Lee and Neji left. Misaki and Kenji weren't so sure about having them here, seeing as their entrance wasn't as graceful as either had hoped.

Lee walked over to Kenji and all but ripped Misaki's ribbon off of his neck. "Why the hell do you have this on?!"

"Oh! I forgot about that." Kenji said honestly. He'd completely forgotten he'd put it around his neck.

Misaki sighed. "I used it and my headband as a temporary brace for his hand. He gave me back my headband, but I told him to keep the ribbon for a while so it wouldn't get lost."

Lee walked back over to Misaki and tied the ribbon back in her hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind again, but this time he wasn't going let her get away from him. He whispered in her ear, "Never forget, you are **my** fiancé."

Misaki nodded just the slightest and looked at the ground.

Neji put one arm around Kenji's shoulders. "Don't forget, I really do love you."

Kenji nodded, but was staring right at Misaki. She was in pain from being reminded of yet another reason she could never be with Kenji. Her engagement to Ara's father…

(Misaki: What the hell?! This is turning into a Nin Soap Opera!

Me: Heh-heh… Hate to tell you, but in case you haven't realized, this has been a Nin Soap Opera since book one.

Misaki: …

Kenji: Yeah, come to think of it…

Misaki: Am I the only one who didn't realize this?!

Everyone except Misaki: Yep!

Misaki: {sigh of frustration}

Me: Now, back to the –

Misaki: No! I don't wanna be oblivious to this!

Neji: Okay, lets just get back to the story!

Me: Agreed!

Neji: Why are you saying, "agreed", **you're the damn author**!!

Me: {glare} You're right… Which means I could just go ahead and kill you now.

Neji: Um…

Kenji: Uh… Okay, back to the story!)

Tsunade sighed, not enjoying the "soap opera" scene happening in front of her. "Okay! Neji, Lee, if you want to keep acting like this, I'll send you both home!"

The four teenagers looked over at Tsunade, they'd completely forgotten she was there. Tsunade was being serious, they could tell because she was glaring at all of them.

"Lee and Neji, stand on the other side of the room! I don't want you two trying **anything**!" Tsunade shouted. (Get your head out of the gutter you perv!!)

Lee and Neji did as the scary Hokage told them out of fear that she would grab something and try to kill them. (Homicidal chair!!)

"Kenji, Misaki, come over here please." Tsunade said, pointing at the area in front of her desk.

Kenji and Misaki did as they were told, also afraid of a threat from Tsunade. "Yes, Lady Hokage?"

"What is the extent of your injuries? Kenji, you first." Tsunade said calmly.

Kenji shrugged. "Well, I'm pretty much covered in a bunch of cuts created from senbon, kunai knives, and shuriken." He pointed at his bandaged neck. "I got hit in the neck with a senbon and then a kunai knife."

Tsunade nodded as she wrote it down. "How'd you break your hand?"

"Oh! That Mizukake guy had on some kind of armor, and I didn't realize it until I punched him."

Tsunade nodded again and looked at Misaki. "And you?"

"Well, apparently there was some internal bleeding. I have a large bruise on my stomach, another on my back, and another on my chest." Misaki said quickly.

"What do you mean by 'there **was** some internal bleeding'?"

"Shinobu healed me somewhat, but I'm still coughing up a little blood."

Tsunade nodded and wrote that down too. "How bad are the bruises?"

"Uh…" Misaki looked over at Kenji.

"Well, I saw the ones on her stomach and back. They were almost completely black, I could barely tell they were bruises." Kenji said honestly.

Tsunade nodded. "What about the one on her chest?"

Kenji blushed. "I didn't look there, I didn't even know there was a bruise there!"

Tsunade nodded again. "Next time check her more thoroughly."

Misaki and Kenji were blushing furiously, and Tsunade noted this in her mind.

_Well, that's not the normal reaction… Normally, at least the guy would be excited… Then again, it is those two; normality isn't very normal for them._ (That made a lot of sense…) Tsunade sighed. "How'd you break your arm?"

Misaki, once she recovered from Tsunade's earlier statement, said, "I was hit with a stone club in the shoulder. Then punched in the stomach, hit in the chest with the same stone club, and then kicked in the back."

"The punch shouldn't have affected you that badly."

Misaki shrugged. "The guy who punched, and kicked me hit almost as hard as Kenji."

Tsunade nodded. "Okay then. Is that the only wounds you two have?"

Kenji and Misaki looked at the ground, as if in thought. They knew there was one more wound on each of their hearts, but wouldn't dare to say it in front of the other – or the other's boyfriend/fiancé.

"Is it?" Tsunade asked, trying to look at their faces.

Kenji and Misaki looked up at Tsunade. "Yes, Lady Hokage, that's all."

Tsunade nodded. "Okay then, you can both go home. Misaki, come to the clinic if the coughing up blood gets any worse."

"Yes ma'am." Misaki said as the four of them walked out of the room.

As soon as they were out of Hokage Tower, Neji and Kenji, and Misaki and Lee went separate ways. Misaki looked back to look at Kenji as he walked away only to find that he was looking at her. Both faced forward, blushing.

"What is wrong?" Lee asked when he saw how red Misaki's face was.

"It's nothing, just remembering Lady Tsunade's earlier statement." Misaki said quickly.

"Hmph! If he **ever** takes any kind of clothing off of you, I will kill him!" Lee said angrily.

Misaki shook her head. "Kenji's just a friend, let it go."

"How am I to know that you two did not have sex while you were captured?!" Lee shouted at her.

Misaki shook her head again. "I **wouldn't** do that! **Not with him**!" She ran ahead of Lee, putting on her headphones and turning on her CD Player as she ran home.

Misaki opened the door and slammed it behind her, Obito still had Ara with him, and she was happy for that. The last thing she needed right now was to have to take care of someone. She lay down on the couch as she heard "Say Anything" by Good Charlotte starting to play.

Misaki stared up at the ceiling. _I have to say something to Lee when he gets home, anything… Anything, but the truth…_


	3. First Fight

_"That was done on purpose. No, you could even say that it was purposeful act of cruelty. The vase of flowers left my hand…and the girl's black hair and her white face…were dyed red. Between the pieces of broken vase, mingled with the water put in it this morning, her red blood began to spread across the floor. A lone cicada drowned out the low sound of the girl's crying."_

~Ryu-Sang – "Snow To The Flower" – _Nabi: The Prototype_

…

Lee stormed into the house not but ten minutes after Misaki walked in. He'd had too much time to think about the many possibilities about Misaki running away from him. Nothing that had come up in his mind was good, and one option he'd thought of was true – though he doesn't need to know it.

Lee tore the headphones off of Misaki's head and glared at her.

"What the hell?!" Misaki was **not** happy about Lee being rude all of a sudden. "What's wrong with you?!"

"You love him!" Lee shouted almost as loud as he could.

"**What**?!" Misaki had completely forgotten about earlier, she'd immersed herself into the music and had almost fallen asleep.

"You love that no good murderer!"

Misaki realized then that he was referring to Kenji and she shook her head, though it really hurt her to deny it. "I don't love him. He's my best friend, nothing more."

"You are lying! I did not realize the way you look at him until I had time to think about it!" Lee was seriously pissed off, he didn't care that what he was saying could very possibly make no sense at all.

"Why would I love **him**?!" Misaki shouted back at Lee, almost in tears because she was torn in two. "After all he's done, I would **never** love him!"

Lee forcefully pulled Misaki off of the couch by her shoulders, even though he knew how much it hurt her arm, and kissed her neck roughly. "Then prove it!" He said, looking her in the eyes hungrily.

Misaki pushed Lee away and held onto her throbbing shoulder. He had gripped it hard enough to make it feel like it was on fire. "I already have! Or is Ara not enough to prove it?!"

"I do not know! Is she?!" Lee continued shouting though he thought he knew it was true.

Misaki glared at Lee. "So me bearing **your** child wasn't enough for you?"

Lee looked away from Misaki; he couldn't stand looking at her so hurt. She wasn't hurt from denying who she really loves anymore; it was just that she couldn't believe that Lee would yell at her for something he wasn't completely sure about.

Misaki picked up her CD Player off the ground and put her headphones back on, walking for the door. "I'm gonna go pick up Ara from Obito and Kakashi."

Lee didn't say anything as the door slammed shut behind Misaki.

Misaki sighed in frustration once she was out the door. _That damned bastard! I can't believe he would actually say that! … He can't know that he's right though… No one can… Not even Kenji himself… _She looked up at the dark storm clouds about her head. _Another day to cry…_

Misaki shook her head and turned through the music until she found what she thought was an appropriate song for her mood, and feelings. She started walking again as the song started playing loudly in the headphones.

…

_I hate feeling like this_

_I'm so tired of trying to fight this_

_I'm asleep and all I dream of_

_Is waking to you_

_Tell me that you will listen_

_Your touch is what I'm missing_

_And the more I hide I realize I'm slowly losing you_

_Comatose_

_I'll never wake up without an overdose of you_

_I don't wanna live, I don't wanna breathe_

'_Les I feel you next to me_

_You take the pain I feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_I don't wanna sleep, I don't wanna dream_

'_Cause my dreams don't comfort me_

_The way you make me feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_I hate living without you_

_Dead wrong to ever doubt you_

_But my demons lay in waiting_

_Tempting me away_

_Oh how I adore you_

_Oh how I thirst for you_

_Oh how I need you_

_Comatose_

_I'll never wake up without an overdose of you_

_I don't wanna live, I don't wanna breathe_

'_Les I feel you next to me_

_You take the pain I feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_I don't wanna sleep, I don't wanna dream_

'_Cause my dreams don't comfort me_

_The way you make me feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_Breathing life_

_Waking up_

_My eyes open up_

_Comatose_

_I'll never wake up without an overdose of you_

_I don't wanna live, I don't wanna breathe_

'_Les I feel you next to me_

_You take the pain I feel_

_Waking up to you felt so real_

_I don't wanna sleep, I don't wanna dream_

'_Cause my dreams don't comfort me_

_The way you make me feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_Oh how I adore you_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_Oh how I thirst for you_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

_Oh how I adore you_

_(Comatose)_

_Oh…_

_The way you make me feel_

_Waking up to you never felt so real_

("Comatose" by Skillet)

…

Misaki stopped about a block away from Obito and Kakashi's house and turned on "Whispers In The Dark" – also by Skillet. She laughed a little as the line "_My love is a burning, consuming fire_" played. The line reminded her a lot of Kenji just because of his interest with fire. (It's more like an obsession actually.)

By the time Misaki reached their house, the song had ended, which was about two or three minutes later. She hung her headphones around her neck and simply placed the CD Player in her sling. As she was about to knock on the door, she heard Kenji talking inside. She thought she heard her name somewhere, but hoped not as she heard more of what was being said.

"Why do you think that?" Obito asked.

"I don't know. I just wanna know who could love **anyone** like that? It's not like I don't relate to her, I just don't see how anyone could love her. She's being a real bitch to the person she claims to love." Kenji said in response. (Talking about a movie!)

Misaki bit her bottom lip, seriously debating running back home and finding a very sharp knife…or simply using kunai knife right there where Kenji could find her. She shook her head, knowing it would be useless. She needed to be there for Ara…and even Lee, no matter how much she resented him at the moment.

Misaki took a deep breath, to prevent from crying, and knocked on the door.

Kakashi opened the door. "Hello." He said, obviously smiling beneath the mask.

Misaki forced a smile, even though she knew it wouldn't fool the Jonnin. "I'm here to pick up Ara."

Kenji looked over; he was sitting on the couch next to Obito and Ara. "Hey Misaki."

Misaki tried to keep her smile in place as she waved at Kenji. "Hey…"

Obito stood up and handed Ara over to Misaki. "Here you go. Anytime you want me to baby-sit again, just ask. She's very well behaved."

Misaki nodded and laid Ara down in the sling. (Convenient.) "Alright."

Ara giggled and reached up for Obito again.

Obito smiled down at Ara. "We'll see each other soon, I promise." He said like a little kid.

_He must've been in Tobi-mode the entire time._ Misaki turned around and started walking off, but Kakashi stopped her. "What?"

"You're upset, tell me why." Kakashi said, still smiling.

Misaki sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing. Just got into a fight with Lee earlier. I'm still a little upset…and I think it'll continue when I get home."

Obito skipped right over to her. "If that's so, why don't you leave Ara here tonight? It's bad for a baby to be in a tense environment."

"That would be great, Tobi—I mean Obito." Misaki said, allowing Obito to take Ara. "But are you sure? I don't wanna be a burden."

Obito smiled. "Not a problem at all! I love kids!"

Misaki nodded. "Thanks, I really didn't want to have Ara there if we fought again."

Obito continued smiling as he said, "I told you the other day, you don't have to worry about a thing. I'll take good care of her!"

"Me too." Kakashi said, still smiling beneath his mask.

Misaki bowed in respect. "Thank you, you really are a big help." She turned and left without another word.

Misaki put her headphones back on and turned on another Skillet song that she had to beg Shinobu to put on the CD: "Falling Inside The Black".

Misaki hung her head, unable to believe how true the lyrics were about to seem. _Anymore of this…this torment and I don't know what I'm gonna do. But, surely, Kenji wasn't talking about me…was he?_

Misaki turned off her CD Player and shoved that, and the headphones into her pocket when she saw lightening. Right after she did, it started raining. She was glad; at least the tears on her face would be disguised.

As people on the streets either pulled out umbrellas or ran for cover, Misaki walked slowly through the mostly empty streets. She knew that Lee was going to be furious about her leaving Ara with Obito and Kakashi for the night, but she didn't care in the least.

_If he wants to be mad at me, let him be mad._ Misaki thought, hanging her head as she walked.

By the time she arrived back at her and Lee's house, she was completely soaked. Her ribbon was threatening to fall out of her wet hair, which stuck to her also wet face. Her sleeveless black turtleneck was ten times heavier than usual and her capris clung to her legs.

Lee looked over at Misaki and shook his head almost as if her appearance disappointed him.

"What?!" Misaki asked him as she closed the door.

Lee stood up. "Where is Ara?"

Misaki had to think of something quickly. She knew that Lee didn't want anyone knowing about them fighting, no matter what it was over. He wanted everyone to imagine they had a "perfect" relationship. "Obito and Kakashi didn't want Ara in the rain, they're keeping her there for tonight."

"Really?"

Misaki nodded. "I'm wet, I'm gonna go change."

Lee stopped Misaki as she walked for her room.

"What do you want **now**?" She was getting annoyed with the smallest of things now. At least nobody could tell tears from rain.

"Why do I not help?" He smirked.

Misaki pulled her arm from Lee's grip. "Get away from me, I don't need your help." She started walked for her room again, but was grabbed from behind and thrown against the couch.

"What the hell is wrong with **you**?!" Lee asked abruptly, not even really realizing what he was doing.

Misaki stood up slowly; the pain that she had felt back in the Land of Wind started filling her abdomen. Regardless of this, she stood up and acted like she was fine.

Lee walked over to her and grabbed her arm again. "Now will you let me help?" He smirked again.

Misaki shook her head. "No, not tonight."

Lee growled and slapped Misaki, earning a slap too. He didn't like being slapped back and punched Misaki in the stomach almost as hard as he could. Misaki coughed violently; she could feel something that felt like iron trying to force it's way up her throat. Misaki started hoping to hell that she wasn't going to cough up more blood, she hated the feeling of it.

Unfortunately, that's what it was. Misaki dropped back down to her knees as blood started pouring from her mouth. Lee was in frozen shock, he didn't think that he hurt her that badly; in fact, he didn't realize he hurt her at all.

Misaki looked up at Lee and reached out with a bloodstained hand. Blood was staining her shirt; it covered her bottom lip and her chin also. "H-Help," cough, "m-me."

Something snapped Lee back into reality and he ran over to the phone. There was silence for a minute before he said, "Who is this?" … "Kenji? What are you doing at Obito and Kakashi's?" …

_He called them instead of Lady Tsunade?_ Misaki thought as she coughed up more and more blood.

"Misaki needs help, and I do not know what to do." … "She is coughing up **a lot** of blood!" …!!! "It was the first thing I thought of."

_I'm gonna die!_ Misaki thought, starting to sob. _I don't wanna die!!_

…!!! "But are you coming over?" …!!! "Okay, because I really do not know what to do. I was always told not to move someone this extensively injured." …!!! "Okay…" … "Yes, please hurry."

Lee hung up the phone and walked over to Misaki. "You fell. That is what you are going to tell them."

"Why should I listen to **you**?!" Misaki asked between sobs and coughs. She was going to tell anyone she could about what Lee did to her.

Lee picked Misaki up by her neck, which was only making her condition worse. "Because I **can** still kill you, and everyone would think it is because of blood loss."

Misaki coughed again and spit some blood on Lee's face. "You asshole."

Lee smirked and put Misaki back on the ground. "Good girl."

Not but two seconds later, Kenji ran into their house with Kakashi following closely. Misaki was leaning against the couch, her face was much more pale than usual. Blood was still pouring from her mouth.

"What the hell's wrong with you?!" Kenji shouted at Lee, obviously angry. "You should've called Lady Tsunade!!"

Kakashi walked over to Misaki and checked her pulse. "Her pulse is really fast. Her heart's trying to compensate for the blood loss."

Misaki looked over at Kenji blankly. "Am I gonna die?" She asked in a shaky whisper, it was all her voice could manage at the moment.

Kenji shook his head. "No, you're not. We won't allow it."

Kakashi nodded to agree with Kenji. "Kenji, put Misaki on my back."

Kenji did as he was told. Kakashi ran out the door, followed closely by Kenji and Lee. When they arrived at the clinic, Kakashi's back and shoulder were covered with Misaki's blood.

Tsunade was walking to the back when she heard the door open suddenly. She looked back at the door and dropped everything she had in her hands when she saw who had run in. "What the fuck?!"

Four different nurses ran over, two grabbed a rolling bed that Kakashi laid Misaki down on. Tsunade started barking out orders as her plus the four other nurses ran into the E.R.

The three boys sat down in the nearest chairs. Kakashi took off his vest so it wouldn't stain the chair – which would piss off Tsunade. Kenji leaned forward, his head rested in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. Lee leaned back in the chair and stared blankly at the ceiling, keeping his face impassive.

Kenji sighed silently and shook his head, deep in thought.

Lee looked over at Kenji and could've sworn he saw something in the way he was acting about the situation, but shook his head. _No, it is not possible… I mean… __**I am**__ the one who helped Misaki; __**I am**__ the only one who could ever love Misaki. __**I am **__the one who saved her after all; she owes me so much! Besides, how could anyone else love __**her**__?!_

Kakashi looked between the two boys sitting on his right, sensing something strange about the two. _Hmm… I think I was right about that. Looks like some things really are better off being said after all._


	4. What're You Waiting For?

"_That was clearly done on purpose. He looked straight into my eyes and threw the vase at my forehead. He looked down on me without so much as a hint of shock. Between the pieces of broken vase, mingled with the water put in it this morning, my red blood began to spread across the floor. He hates me. He hates me. He really…hates me."_

~Myo-Un – "Glass Ball" – _Nabi: The Prototype_

…

"Well, I see no problem with releasing you now." Tsunade said, tapping the tip of her pen on the clipboard. "You've made a significant recovery since a few days ago."

Misaki smiled. "Really?"

Tsunade nodded. "Yep. In fact, I thought after you put all that stress on yourself you'd be here for at least a week."

Misaki laughed. "What can I say?"

Much to Lee's liking, Misaki had told Tsunade – and everyone else – she'd been under a lot of stress since returning from the Land of Wind. Tsunade had fallen for it, she had once told Misaki that if she put too much stress on herself that she would cough up blood again, after all. Misaki hasn't even made any kind of correction in her story to pin any of the blame on Lee at all.

Lee walked in at that moment, carrying Ara in his arms. "How is she doing today?"

Misaki smiled like nothing was wrong, like she didn't feel completely unsafe with him in the room. "I'm being released."

Lee smiled. "That is good news."

Tsunade nodded and turned Lee around. "Let the girl get dressed in private." She shut the door behind herself, obviously still standing in front of it.

Misaki stood up and grabbed the baggy black t-shirt and dark blue jeans Lee had brought up for her just the day before. She took off the hospital issued white yukata she was wearing, and happened to look out the window in time to see Kenji climbing in the window. True, that had been the only way Kenji was able to talk to Misaki since Lee visited her at almost every waking hour, but he'd been told to use digression…for moments like this.

Misaki blushed furiously; she was standing in front of him in only a bra and panties. She grabbed the nearest thing – which happened to be a **metal** chair – and threw it at Kenji. Misaki didn't scream, "Pervert!" like she normally would've because then Lee would be even madder at Kenji than he already was. (No, instead she screamed it in her head.) As soon as Kenji fell out of the window, Misaki shoved on the t-shirt and looked out the window. Kenji was twitching on the ground; the metal chair was beside him.

"Oops." Misaki mumbled. "Maybe I shouldn't have thrown that."

Misaki sighed and put on her blue jeans. _How can I explain the chair being missing and Kenji twitching on the ground next to it?_

Tsunade opened the door. "You dressed yet?"

Misaki laughed and nodded. "Yeah, just, um, looking for a brush."

Tsunade shrugged and tossed her a ponytail holder.

Misaki stared blankly at the ponytail holder for a moment. "My hair's still too short for this."

Tsunade shrugged and tossed her a brush from a nearby closet. "There."

Misaki tossed Tsunade back the ponytail holder and quickly brushed her hair. When she was done, Misaki put the brush back and walked out of the room. Lee smiled when he saw her walking around again, and also that she wasn't hurt to the point where he would've been questioned.

Misaki took Ara from Lee and smiled. "Hey there!" She said, smiling.

Ara giggled and wrapped her arms around Misaki's neck.

"Ara, you're choking me." Misaki said, laughing and pulling Ara away from her neck. Ara wasn't really choking her; she just wanted to make sure nothing causes her to start coughing up blood again.

Tsunade stopped Misaki and Lee before they walked out. "Now, make sure Misaki does nothing to strain herself, or stress herself out. If she coughs up even a little blood, bring her straight back."

Lee nodded. "Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade looked at Misaki. "You hear me?"

Misaki sighed. "Yeah…"

Tsunade sighed; she knew Misaki wasn't going to listen. "You may leave then."

Misaki smiled and ran outside, acting like a little kid who just got released for summer vacation from school.

Lee laughed when he caught up to her. "Lady Tsunade said to not strain yourself."

Misaki shrugged. "Oh well."

Lee sighed. "I am not going to take the blame if you start coughing up blood again."

"Then own up to what you did." Misaki mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Thought so."

Normally, Misaki would've repeated what she said, regardless of the consequences. But she had Ara with her, and wasn't even going to chance it.

Kenji walked from around the side of the clinic, and walked over to Misaki. He didn't notice Lee until he was in front of her.

"Stay away from her!" Lee all but yelled, wrapping one arm around Misaki's shoulders.

Misaki looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"You can't decide who she can talk to!" Kenji growled.

Lee laughed. "Do you really think that your opinion matters right now?"

Misaki looked at Lee. "He's right though. It's my life, if I want to talk with Kenji, I can!"

Lee glared at Misaki. "No, you cannot!"

"Why?!"

"Because he is bad for you!"

Misaki shoved Lee away from her with one hand. "No, he's not!"

"Why are you sticking up for him?!"

"Because he's my…my friend!"

"Who? That murderer?"

Misaki started shaking with rage.

"Um, maybe I should take Ara from you, Misaki." Kenji suggested.

"Do not touch her!" Lee shouted. "Keep your filthy hands off of her!"

Kenji glared at Lee and walked over to him, drawing Elah. "Shut your goddamn mouth!"

Misaki stopped shaking and looked over at the two boys – after moving out of the way – knowing what was about to happen. _This should be interesting._ She noticed that Kenji didn't draw Ra though. "Kenji, what about your other sword?"

"I don't need it." Kenji said nonchalantly.

Misaki shrugged, knowing he was right.

Lee launched himself at Kenji as fast as he could, but he wasn't nearly fast enough. Kenji moved out of the way and kicked Lee over near the Hokage Faces, following him swiftly.

Misaki sighed and sat down on a nearby rooftop. Suddenly rocks started falling off of the bottom of the Hokage Faces, and huge dust cloud came from just to the left of the faces.

"Oh shit, Lady Tsunade won't be happy about that." Misaki said, scratching the back of her head. Ara giggled as she looked upon the destruction caused by the two boys. (She's already showing signs of being crazy and deranged.)

Tsunade ran out of the clinic and joined Misaki on the roof. "What the hell is going on?! Who's attacking?!"

Misaki laughed. "Lee and Kenji."

"Oh, well then." Tsunade sighed. "Why are they fighting?"

"Lee was being a jackass." Misaki said, shrugging.

Tsunade sighed again. "Those two fighting could rival Kakashi and Gai."

"Well, Kenji's like a mini-Kakashi, and Lee's like a mini-Gai. So, pretty much, yeah."

"Should I stop them?" Tsunade asked, not really sure.

"You might want to before they destroy Konoha." Another section of rock fell from beneath the Hokage Faces. "Or they kill each other."

There was suddenly a very large explosion followed by Lee flying through the air. (Flying Arakawa-Sensei cow!! {Don't ask.})

"Correction, before Kenji kills Lee." Misaki sighed.

Tsunade nodded. "Yeah, the village being destroyed would definitely be a downer." She transported over to the area.

The next thing anyone watching saw was Kenji flying to the other side of Konoha, followed quickly by Lee.

Misaki sighed. "Poor idiots." She jumped down off of the roof.

Kenji walked up to Misaki after a few minutes, a large footprint implanted on his face. Misaki started laughing uncontrollably even though she'd seen it coming.

"Oh, shut up!" Kenji said, staring blankly at the laughing Kunoichi.

Misaki stopped laughing and walked over to Kenji. "Let me make up for Lee's rudeness by—"

"It wasn't your fault, you don't have to do anything." Kenji interrupted.

"No! I'm going to take you to the karaoke bar, and I'm paying for the food!" Misaki smiled. _Even though I'm pretty much broke at the moment._

"Um, okay." Kenji smiled a little. He knew of Misaki financial status because she's complained about many times, unable to really deal with it.

"Really?"

Kenji nodded. "Sure, whatever you want."

Misaki continued smiling. "Good, because I was gonna pay for the food regardless!"

Kenji started walking away, but stopped when he realized Misaki not following. "Are you coming?"

Misaki nodded and followed Kenji as they walked to the karaoke bar. "Don't you want Neji to come along?"

Kenji shrugged. "Not really. Think of this as a day for us…um, friends."

Misaki looked down at Ara. "And Ara."

Kenji looked back at Misaki and said, "We could go drop her off with Obito and Kakashi-Sensei if you want."

Misaki nodded. "Sure. Then it really would be a friend's day."

Kenji smiled again and led her to Obito and Kakashi's house. When they got there, they turned and headed for the academy when they heard weird noises coming from inside. They had both decided that it would be best to just leave Ara with Iruka for the day.

The two walked inside the academy, where Iruka was trying to teach a class.

"Iruka-Sensei!" Misaki said, walking inside the classroom.

"Hello. Is Lee with you?" Iruka asked when he saw Kenji with her instead.

"Nah! He got his ass kicked by Lady Tsunade. Kenji and I are having a friend's day. Could you watch Ara?" Misaki asked as nicely as she could.

Iruka looked over at his class. "I'm teaching right now, Misaki."

"Please…! I would leave her with Kakashi and Obito, but I heard weird sounds coming from inside their house!"

Iruka sighed and took Ara from Misaki; he really was a pushover. "Fine, but don't be too long."

"Thank you!"

As Misaki was walking towards Kenji, she heard someone say that she must've been older than she looked. She glared over in the general direction the comment came from.

"_**EXCUSE **__**ME**_?!" She said almost demonically.

"Uh-oh…" Kenji walked over to Misaki. "Just ignore them, lets go."

"That bitch said I was old!!!" Misaki shouted, having to be restrained and drug from the academy by Kenji. "Why didn't you let me kill her?!"

"Because the academy needs to be in one piece." Kenji said, only letting her actually walk once they were next to the karaoke bar.

Misaki sighed. "I suppose you're right…"

Kenji sighed in relief, though he knew that next time he might not be able to stop her. "Lets find a table somewhere."

Misaki ran inside. "I beat you!"

"We were racing?"

"Yeah!"

"Since when?"

"Since five seconds ago."

"…"

Misaki laughed and found a table quickly. Kenji followed Misaki and sat down across from her. Ino was currently on stage singing her rendition of "I'm A Bitch" by Alanis Morisette.

Misaki sighed, "She's ruining a good song."

Kenji shrugged. "She's not **too bad**."

Misaki looked over at Kenji like he was crazy. "You're joking, right?"

"… Okay, she sucks." Kenji said honestly.

The waiter walked up. "What do you want?"

"Extra spicy curry! And green tea." Misaki said, smiling.

"The usual." Kenji said, shrugging.

The waiter nodded and walked away.

"So…" Misaki said, resting her chin on her hands, her elbows resting on the table.

"So, what?" Kenji questioned.

"Did you enjoy being a peeping tom today?"

Kenji blushed; he was hoping she'd forgotten about that. "It was accident!"

"Yeah, **sure** it was an accident." Misaki said sarcastically, smirking evilly.

"Yes, it was!" Kenji argued.

"You had a look on your face like you enjoyed it." Misaki said, staring blankly at him.

Kenji shook his head. "If I'd planned that, you wouldn't have known I was there!"

The waiter walked up again and put down a plate of curry, a cup of green tea, and whatever Kenji got. "Enjoy your food." He set down the check.

Misaki grabbed the check before Kenji could, and was mentally kicking herself. The meals were gonna cost ¥1500, which was about ¥800 more than she had with her. "Um, Kenji…"

"You need some money." Kenji knew better than phrase it as a question by this point.

"Yep."

Kenji sighed and pulled out his wallet. "How much?"

"Eight-hundred."

Kenji shrugged and gave Misaki ¥800.

Misaki smiled again. "Thank you." She set the check down at the edge of the table.

Kenji shrugged. "No problem."

Misaki shoveled down the curry, which was extra spicy, faster than she thought possible. Which earned her a strange look from Kenji.

Misaki laughed. "I haven't eaten in two days."

"Okay…"

"I'm gonna go sing while you…" Suddenly, the spices of the curry hit her. "Oh, HELL!!!"

"Are you okay?" Kenji asked.

Misaki grabbed the green tea and chugged it down as fast as she could. She sighed in relief, the curry and green tea combined hadn't tasted good, but she didn't care.

"Okay then." Kenji said, taking a bite of his curry.

"As I was trying to say, I'll be right back." Misaki said, standing up and walking towards the stage.

Once whoever was currently singing was done, Misaki jumped on the stage.

"I'll sing 'Until The Sky Falls Down' by Cascada."

…

_I'll be your dream_

_I'll be your wish_

_I'll be your fantasy_

_I'll be your hope_

_I'll be your love_

_Be everything that you need_

_I love you more with every breath_

_Truth that you need deep down_

_I will be strong_

_I will be faithful_

'_Cause I'm counting on a new beginning_

_A reason for living_

_A deeper meaning_

_Yeah…_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_

_I wanna bathe with you in the sea_

_I wanna lay like this forever_

_Until the sky falls down on me_

_And when the stars on shining brightly in the velvet sky_

_I'll make a wish_

_Send it to heaven_

_That'd make you want to cry_

_The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty_

_That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of_

_The highest power_

_In lonely hours_

_The tears divide you_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_

_I wanna bathe with you in the sea_

_I wanna lay like this forever_

_Until the sky falls down on me_

_Oh, can't you see it baby?_

_Don't have to close your eyes_

'_Cause it's standing right before you_

_All that you need will surely come…_

_I'll be your dream_

_I'll be your wish_

_I'll be your fantasy_

_I'll be your hope_

_I'll be your love_

_Be everything that you need_

_I love you more with every breath_

_Truth that you need deep down_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_

_I wanna bathe with you in the sea_

_I wanna lay like this forever_

_Until the sky falls down on me_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_

_I wanna bathe with you in the sea_

_Yeah…_

_I want to lay like this forever_

_Until the sky falls down on me…_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_

…

The few other people that were in the karaoke bar clapped as Misaki ran back to the table. When Misaki sat down, she'd hoped that she'd made the lyrics true enough for it to get through Kenji's thick skull.

Kenji smiled at Misaki. "Good job."

Misaki smiled too. "Thanks."

Kenji stood up. "I think I'll go sing too."

"Alright." Misaki's shoulder slumped in disappointment when Kenji turned his back to walk to the stage. _Damn. Maybe he didn't realize it._

"I'll sing "Rebirthing" by Skillet."

…

_I lie here paralytic inside this soul_

_Screaming for you 'till my throat is numb_

_I wanna break out_

_I need a way out_

_I don't believe that it's gotta be this way_

_The worst is the waiting_

_In this womb I'm suffocating_

_Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen_

_I take you in_

_I've died_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live for love wanna live for you and me_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live my life wanna give you everything_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Right now, right now_

_I lie here lifeless in this cocoon_

_Shedding my skin cause I'm ready to_

_I wanna break out_

_I found a way out_

_I don't believe that it's gotta be this way_

_The worst is the waiting_

_In this womb I'm suffocating_

_Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen_

_I take you in_

_I've died_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live for love wanna live for you and me_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live my life wanna give you everything_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Tell me when I'm gonna live again_

_Tell me when I'm gonna breathe you in_

_Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside_

_Tell me when I'm gonna feel alive_

_Tell me when I'm gonna live again_

_Tell me when this fear will end_

_Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside_

_Tell me when I'll feel alive_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live for love wanna live for you and me_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Rebirthing now_

_I wanna live my life wanna give you everything_

_Breathe for the first time now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Right now_

_I come alive somehow_

_Right now_

_I come alive somehow_

…

It was mainly the younger generation that was currently in the karaoke bar who clapped. The two songs together should've made their feelings for each other obvious, but they're both too thickheaded to realize it.

Kenji poofed back to the table and sat down. "How was that?"

"Amazing!" Misaki said honestly, she never heard Kenji sing with that much passion in a long time.

Kenji smiled. "Thanks."

"So, uh, how've you and Neji been lately?" Misaki asked, trying to divert the conversation from where it could possibly go.

Kenji shrugged. "Good, I suppose."

"You suppose?" Misaki was acting really concerned.

"I don't really ca… I just don't have to answer that question a lot."

"Oh, okay."

"What about you and Lee?"

Misaki hung her head. "I don't think so."

"Huh?"

"Ever since we returned from the Land of Wind, Lee's just been acting different. At first he thought that we'd had sex while we were captured."

Kenji shook his head. "A) We're friends, nothing more. B) We were prisoners." _Not that the second reason would've stopped me on a normal basis…_

Misaki nodded, but kept her head hung. "That's pretty much what I told him. But Lee's just impossible sometimes."

Kenji shrugged. "Some guys are like that."

Misaki sighed. "I know, I know. But you saw how he acted earlier, he's been like that since we returned."

Kenji glared at the table, clearly not happy.

The waiter walked up and gave Misaki a glass of tea. "Here you go, miss."

Misaki and Kenji both looked at the glass weird. "What the hell?"

"Some guy other there said you looked thirsty." He said, pointing over where Team Kurenai sat.

Misaki sighed. "Kiba."

"Kiba?"

"He does this a lot since I'm friends with his girlfriend." Misaki picked up the glass and stood up. "He should know better though." She walked over to where Team Kurenai sat and poured the entire glass on Kiba's head.

"Hey!" Kiba shouted, not happy with being covered in tea.

"Next time, just give me the tea like a normal person! Don't make poor Hinata here think that you're trying to get me to like you." Misaki said, teasing Kiba like only an older sister would.

"I didn't give you the tea this time!"

"Who did the… Shino?"

Shino laughed evilly. "I wanted to see for myself what would happen."

Misaki shuddered and walked back over to where her and Kenji were sitting.

"Wasn't Kiba?" Kenji asked when he realized how confused Misaki looked.

"No, it was Shino."

"So that's why you seem so confused."

Misaki nodded. "Uh-huh."

Kenji shrugged; he could see why she was confused. It would be creepy to get a "hello" from Shino; a glass of tea was **beyond** scary.

Misaki stood up. "Well, lets leave before Kiba comes over here to get his revenge."

Kenji nodded and stood up as well. As the two were walking for the door, Kiba decided to get his revenge. He grabbed Misaki from behind, causing Kenji to turn around to see who took her, and pushed her into Kenji. The two fell onto the ground, Misaki on top of Kenji, and their lips connected.

Kiba laughed. "That was better than I thought it was gonna be!"

"K-Kiba…!" Hinata said, running over. "That's not nice!"

"They don't seem to be complaining." Kiba continued laughing.

In fact, they weren't. Neither made any kind of movement to get away from the other, they didn't want to. Kenji had his hands subconsciously rested on Misaki's waist, and Misaki was pretty much just lying on top of him. They didn't even try to move until they heard:

"What the hell is going on?!" Lee shouted as he walked into the karaoke bar.

Misaki threw herself off of Kenji and moved away from him; her face was beat red. "L-Lee, it's not what it seems!"

"My ass! What the hell were you doing on top of him in the first place?!"

"Dude, calm down!" Kiba said when he realized how pissed Lee was. "I was getting my revenge for Misaki pouring a glass of tea on my head. I pushed her into Kenji with the **hope** of them ending up in some weird position."

Lee glared at Kiba and then down at Kenji. "Do not come near Misaki ever again!"

Kenji stood up, now he was pissed. "Shut the fuck up already!! I don't give a shit what you say!"

"You heard me! Do not come near Misaki ever again!"

Misaki stood up and stood in between Kenji and Lee when she noticed that Kenji had the I'm-about-to-kick-your-ass aura around him again. "Both of you stop it! This was all just a prank for revenge, Lee. Me and Kenji are **just friends**!"

"That is what you say! How can I be so sure that it is true?!"

As much as Misaki didn't want to, especially in front of Kenji, she wrapped her arms quickly around Lee's neck and gave him a passionate kiss. "Is that enough for now?" She asked him in a whisper when she pulled away.

Lee smirked and whispered back, "For now."

Misaki turned around to say something to Kenji, but he was already gone. She looked out the door and saw him running away. Misaki watched his back as he ran. _I'm sorry… I didn't mean to kiss you, Kenji._

Lee put one arm around Misaki's shoulders. "Let us go get Ara."

Misaki nodded, staring at the ground the entire walk to the academy. She was just trying to think of a way, any way, to apologize to Kenji; she hadn't meant to kiss him. But Misaki had a feeling that wasn't what was bothering him.

_I wonder what I did…_ Misaki thought, looking up at Lee and then back at the ground. _What am I gonna do?_


	5. SC: Konoha Grand Sports Festival!

(Author's Note: I wrote this chapter at about two in the morning, so I don't remember half of it.)

…

Team Gai walked onto the field of what is used as the setting for the Grand Sports Festival. Misaki and Lee smiled, happy that they should have no problem at all winning the competitions, Neji just didn't care.

"Oh yeah!" Misaki said, punching the air in front of her. "We'll win this thing, no problem!"

"So you think." Kenji laughed as he walked up behind Team Gai with the rest of his team. "I told all of you yesterday, we'll win!"

"Hah! This'll be a cakewalk! Your team's just a minor obstacle!" Misaki said, sticking her tongue out at them.

"Oh really?"

"Yep!"

"Then we'll just see who the 'minor obstacle' really is!"

Misaki smirked cockily, ready for the festival to start. "No problem!"

Naruto laughed. "This year is gonna be fu…" His face turned an awkward color of blue and he ran off in the general direction from where the team's had come from.

Kenji and Sakura looked back as their teammate ran off. "Naruto, get back here!"

All of team Gai started laughing at team Kakashi temporarily losing a team member.

"All contenders for the first round report to the center of the field, now!" Anko shouted over a loud speaker.

Misaki and Kenji walked into the center of the field where Kiba and Chouji were. The first round was an obstacle course, simple enough…

"Ready? … Go!" Tsunade shouted, raising one arm in the air.

Misaki and Kenji were the first two on the course. The spiral thing that they had to run through was no problem at all. Kenji slightly paused when he saw the milk right after it though while Misaki chugged it down without a second thought and continued.

_Dammit…!_ Kenji drank the milk as fast as he could and caught up to Misaki.

The two jumped over all ten hurdles at once without any difficulty and launched themselves across the finish line. Both of them were face down in the dirt in front of Tsunade, who wasn't really sure if that could be considered a win or a tie.

"Um…" Tsunade wasn't sure what to tell Anko over the radio. "It looked like either a pretty damn close race, or a tie."

Kenji and Misaki both looked up at Tsunade. "Who won?!"

"_Who would you say won?"_ Anko asked over the radio.

Tsunade shook her head. "Call it as a tie. Even if one of them did win, it was **way** too close to call."

"A tie?!" Kenji and Misaki shouted. "That's not possible, I won!" They glared at each other. "You didn't win, I won!"

Tsunade sighed and scratched the back of her head. _The one-day I decide to be nice…_

Kiba crossed the finish line next, followed closely by Chouji.

"Wow, you two are really competitive." Kiba said, trying to catch his breath. The last ten hurdles had really made him tired.

Chouji had made over half the hurdles he'd jumped fall over anyway, so he was mostly fine. "Yeah, good job. Who won?"

"I did!" They both shouted, glaring at each other. "No, I did!"

Tsunade cleared her throat. "It ended in a tie."

Just then, Anko said over the loud speaker, "The obstacle course ended with Misaki Kurana and Kenji Uchiha-Hatake in a tie for first, Kiba Inuzuka finishing next, and Chouji Akamichi ending last."

"Holy crap, I didn't think you actually try to kill yourselves trying to beat the other." Neji said once Kenji and Misaki stomped back over to where their teams were waiting.

"Yeah, I thought I had him beat when he hesitated drinking the milk." Misaki laughed, and then suddenly got angry and held her fist in front of her face. "Unfortunately, he made one hell of a comeback!"

"All team's report to the extreme left end of the field for the second round!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker.

Team Gai walked quickly to the left of the field while Sakura and Kenji had to hunt down Naruto before following them. There were four large rubber balls set out in four different lanes.

"Please have one teammate on the top of each ball, facing away from the finish line!" Tsunade shouted from the other end of the field.

Kenji was the representative for team Kakashi; Misaki for team Gai; Shino for team Kurenai; and Ino for team Asuma.

"The other two have to push the ball towards the finish line without their teammate falling off! Anyone who falls off **must** return to the start!" Tsunade shouted again.

"Shinobi get ready!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker. "Go!"

The competition started unlike what everyone was expecting. Kenji and Misaki both had to take it slow for a moment just to make sure they could keep their footing. And team Gai was in the lead for a while… Until…

Kenji ran right passed team Gai without either Sakura or Naruto. "See ya, Misaki!"

Misaki saw him pass them and got pissed. "Kenji…!" She started running as fast as she could.

"Misaki, stop!" Neji and Lee shouted, chasing their incredibly competitive teammate on the giant rubber ball.

Meanwhile, Tsunade was trying to figure out if what Kenji and Misaki were doing could be considered cheating. "Um, Anko?"

"_Yeah?"_ Anko responded, turning a page in a magazine.

"Are you watching this?"

"_No… Should I be?"_

"Look out at the field and tell me if what Kurana and Uchiha-Hatake are doing is illegal in this competition."

Anko set down the magazine and looked out of the window from press box, becoming astounded at what she was seeing. Kenji and Misaki were in a deadlock tie for the finish line and the rest of both of their teams were chasing them.

"You there, Anko?" Tsunade asked after a minute.

"_Um… Y-Yeah, I just don't know what to say to that."_

"Is it considered cheating?"

"_Not to my memory has anything like this even been considered as a **possibility**. Just let them continue, I'll have to contact the administrators for the festival tomorrow and ask them to…um, add that."_

"Right."

Anyways, Kenji and Misaki once again crossed the finish line at the same time. The only difference was that they didn't realize they crossed the finish line until Tsunade kicked the balls from under their feet and they dropped to the ground. Not long after that, both of their teams crossed the line at the exact same time. They didn't care who was going to win that round, they were just tired from chasing Misaki and Kenji.

"Well, that's a tie too." Tsunade said, sighing.

Kenji and Misaki both stood up when Tsunade said that. "What?! No!!"

Tsunade glared down at them both. "If you both wanna continue defying me, I'll make sure you get triple the missions for the next two weeks!!"

"Yes ma'am!" Both teams said, running away.

Once they were away from Tsunade; Neji, Lee, Sakura, and Naruto faced Misaki and Kenji. "**You two need to cool it**!"

"We do?" Kenji and Misaki both asked, looking at each other innocently. "But I'm a competitive person."

"**Obviously**!"

"Kakashi's team tied with Gai's team for first place! Kurenai's team finished next, and Asuma's team finished dead last!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker. "The next competition will start in ten minutes, competitors go get in your swimsuits!"

"Swimsuits?" Both teams wanted to question that, but didn't say anything for fear of Tsunade hearing them.

Sakura, Hinata, Ino, and Misaki walked into the girl's locker room while the rest went into the boys.

Misaki sighed once she got her swimsuit on – a black bikini – she didn't like how she looked in a swimsuit. "Damnable contest!"

"I've an idea, why don't you just drop out and let my team have a win." Ino said, walking into the main part of the locker room. She had on a dark purple one-piece with a low v-cut in the front, but tied behind her neck and left her upper back exposed.

Misaki chuckled. "I wish! But I'm not letting Kenji show me up! He'd never let me live it down!"

"Um… Y-You don't know if that's true." Hinata said, walking up to the two who were already talking. She had on a light blue bikini with a skirt-like bottom.

Misaki sighed and scratched the back of her head. "I don't know, I just really wish I had more than this damn bikini to wear! I really don't like how I look in it."

"What're you talking about?!" Ino asked, shocked and appalled.

"Everything considered, you still have a really good figure." Hinata said honestly.

Misaki shrugged. "Whatever you wanna think…"

Sakura walked out into the main part of the locker room and joined everyone else. She and Misaki had reached a mutual agreement a few days ago; they were friends for the most part. "What's she complaining about now?" She sighed when she saw the other two were annoyed. She was wearing a light pink one-piece designed like Ino's.

"She says she looks bad in her swimsuit." Ino said, putting her hair into a small dark blue skullcap.

Sakura shook her head. "Wrong, Misaki!"

"Huh?" Misaki thought at least Sakura still had some of the distain inside of her. "Come on, Sakura, the one time I wouldn't care if you told me that I didn't look good, you disagree with me…?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because you look good, you really do!"

Hinata nodded. "I agree completely."

Ino nodded as well. "Yeah!"

Misaki sighed and walked for the door to the locker room. "Whatever. I just wish I had as much confidence as the rest of you."

"Well, we'll help you work on that."

Misaki smiled as she opened the door to the locker room. Unfortunately, Misaki, with her horrible balance issues, tripped over the metal bar on the floor and fell on top of somebody. Her friends stared blankly at their klutzy friend lying on the floor on top of some guy wearing dark blue trunks and a white t-shirt.

Ino sighed, "That's more than a little weird."

"Um… Who is he?" Hinata asked, curious as to whom Misaki just embarrassed along with herself.

Misaki screamed, "_**PERVERT**_!!!" and Kenji got punched in the face.

Kenji was lying on the floor in shock. Because of his height, his face hadn't been in an…appropriate spot.

(Misaki: Author-Sama!!!

Me: {stops typing and tilts head confusingly} Where'd you come from?

Misaki: {points to the immediate right}

Me: My closet?

Misaki: Yep!

Kenji: Hey, focus! We came here with a complaint!

Me: Did you come from my closet too?

Kenji: {shakes head} No, I came from under your bed.

Me: Um… {looks at glass of water} What's in this tap water?

Kenji: …

Misaki: Oh, yes, the complaint! Well, I for one do not like being a klutz!

Kenji: I don't like her being a klutz either!

Misaki: I was violated because of the klutziness!

Kenji: And I… Um… I…

Me: Feh! You both enjoyed it; don't lie!

Misaki & Kenji: {blushing}

Me: Hah!

Misaki: That doesn't mean anything! I didn't want to –

Me: Ah, come on. It's not like you didn't have any clothes on…

Misaki: Hey, that's not funny! {blushing}

Kenji: {shrugs} That'd be just fine by me.

Misaki: {glares at Kenji} Oh really?!

Kenji: Yep, completely. {avoiding eye-contact}

Misaki: {smirks and drags Kenji into closet}

Me: Um… He **is** still dating Neji…

{weird noises}

Me: !! Okay, um, back to the story!)

Misaki hid behind Sakura. "Sakura, your teammate's a mega perv…!"

Sakura patted her friend on the head. "There, there, you'll be fine."

"Why isn't Temari here when I need her?!" Misaki wondered aloud.

The other girl's with Misaki just laughed as they walked to the field. The other boys had witnessed Kenji's embarrassment and none of them could stop laughing – even Lee and Neji.

"All squads report to the pool, now!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker.

The girl's were waiting for their teams where Tsunade had told them for about two minutes before the boys actually showed.

"What took you guys so long?" Misaki asked Lee and Neji once they were finally standing next to her. "You should've already been out here."

"You should not assume these things." Lee said, shrugging. He was wearing a dark green speedo. (I had to…)

Neji nodded, he was wearing white trunks with palm trees at the extreme bottom. "Yes, like you shouldn't assume that no one's outside the locker room door."

As soon as Neji said that, both boys started laughing their asses off. Misaki didn't find this amusing though and, instead of slapping them, kicked them both over the head.

"Assholes!" Misaki shouted at them.

Tsunade cleared her throat to get their attention and said, "All squad members must swim the length of the pool ten times. The last squad to finish is eliminated from the final round, regardless of their finishing places in the other rounds!"

"Please pick one person to go first!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker. "That person will be the representative for your squad!"

"I'm representing our squad." Misaki said immediately, facing the boys.

"Why?" Neji asked, he was getting slightly annoyed at the constant competition between his friend and his boyfriend.

Misaki pointed over at team Kakashi, where Kenji stood ready to swim first. "Because Kenji is their representative. I'm the only one who can match his speed!"

Lee shrugged. "She **is** right."

Neji sighed and shook his head. "Well, that's not necessarily true."

"Yes, it is!" Misaki said to her teammate, crossing her arms over her chest.

Neji looked shocked. "Then you've been in be—"

Misaki punched Neji on his cheek as hard as she could. "NO YOU PERVERT!!!"

Kenji looked over at Team Gai as Neji fell to the ground from the punch and sighed. _I wonder what he said…_

Misaki sighed in frustration and stood directly in front of the pool, almost even with Kenji who was just a few spaces away. Shikamaru represented team Asuma – much to his dislike. Kiba represented team Kurenai.

"Alright, everyone who isn't currently swimming please step back!" Tsunade shouted at them.

Everyone did as they were told.

"Those of you who are swimming; you're setting the pace for this competition, so make it count!" Tsunade raised her arm in the air.

_I'll definitely make it count!_ Misaki and Kenji both thought, glaring at the other.

"Go!"

Kenji and Misaki dove into the pool immediately and started swimming as fast as they could. The result of that caused Kiba and Shikamaru to almost drown because the water kept moving around them like they were in a raging river.

Before Tsunade knew it, she had to say, "The next person for teams Gai and Kakashi, be ready! They're on their second to la—I mean, last lap!"

Lee and Naruto ran up to the pool and helped their own teammate out of the pool while they dived in. Kenji and Misaki still had plenty of energy even after swimming at top speeds ten times in the pool.

"Come on, you idiot, swim faster!" Kenji and Misaki both shouted to their teammates.

Neji, who was standing behind them, sweatdropped. _How do I know them again?_

It was another five minutes before Tsunade had to tell team Kurenai to have their next person get in, and then team Asuma directly after. After ten minutes, Neji and Sakura got ready to dive into the pool for their respective teams.

When they dove in, it was the same routine from Kenji and Misaki, yelling at their teammates to swim faster because they wanted to win. Neji and Sakura were the weakest swimmers of their teams though, so it took them a little more time to swim the lengths. By the time they were on their final length, they heard Tsunade yell:

"Team Kurenai wins this round!"

Kenji and Misaki looked over at the celebrating team. "WHAT?!" They turned back to the people in the pool. "SWIM FASTER, WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE!!!!"

It didn't matter anyway, Chouji was the last person swimming for team Asuma and he couldn't really swim at all. Neji and Sakura were swimming back when Kenji and Misaki leaned out as far as they could without falling into the pool to pull their teammate out. Since Kenji was shorter, Sakura had to swim just a little bit farther, but it didn't matter anyway.

Neji grabbed Misaki's hand as Sakura grabbed Kenji's hand; they literally threw Neji and Sakura out of the pool. A tie…

Tsunade sighed. "Anko, teams Kakashi and Gai tied again."

"_What?! Again?!"_ Anko sounded angry. _"Gah! They need to stop being so damn competitive!"_

Tsunade shrugged. "They're teenagers. Even if we told them to tone it down, they wouldn't listen. Especially those two."

Anko sighed, _"Fine, yet another tie… Are Kakashi and Gai this competitive?"_

"I think they actually have some limit."

"_Why can't their students be the same?"_

Tsunade laughed. "Well, regardless, team Asuma's out."

"_I'll go ahead and announce it then."_

"Team Kurenai finished in first. Followed by teams Gai and Kakashi – who tied for second. Team Asuma is eliminated from the final round!" Anko said over the loud speaker. "Shinobi, get into normal clothes and meet on the track for the final round in fifteen minutes."

When the girls were all in the locker room, everyone surrounded Misaki.

"Uh, yes?" Misaki was on guard, she wasn't sure what to do with everyone surrounding her like this.

"You're really competitive, tone it down!" Sakura said strictly, her face was covered in dirt.

"Yeah, my team can't even compete in the last round!" Ino said, slightly angry. Though everyone knew she was pissed off at Chouji again.

"Since you and Kenji are friends… y-you should act more like friends." Hinata said quietly.

"Humph!" Misaki sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can't help it that one of my best friends happens to be really competitive too. I'm sorry that Chouji sucks at just about everything. And, believe me, we are friends…just slightly out of the norm."

The other girls sighed and grabbed their clothes to go get changed. Misaki stayed behind a minute after the other girls went to change in the showers. She made sure no one was around and stared blankly at a mirror.

Misaki whispered to herself, "Even if I was a normal girl, with a normal childhood…he wouldn't love me."

Misaki shook her head and ran into an open shower and quickly changed back into her sleeveless black turtleneck and black capris. When she ran back into the main area, she heard the others talking.

"… It's the same way she acted around Lee before they started dating!" Ino said, trying to get a point across.

"No, it's not!" Hinata said defensively.

"Yes, Hinata, it is!"

"Ino, Misaki was never this competitive with Lee." Sakura said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Besides, even if that were true, it could never happen."

"Yeah, and Misaki would tell you that." Hinata nodded.

Ino sighed. "That girl always has had too much hope for the impossible, you both know this. It's impossible for her and Lee to be together forever, but she once had hope for that!"

"Ino, give it a rest!" Sakura shouted at her friend. "Misaki does **not** love Kenji!"

Misaki couldn't move, they couldn't see her because she was hidden behind a row of lockers. She couldn't believe Ino had guessed what she felt, and she did her absolute best to hide it all the time.

"Yes, she does! It's obvious!" Ino shouted back.

Misaki took a deep breath and walked up to the group. "What's with the yelling?"

Everyone looked at Misaki, Sakura and Hinata looked back at Ino.

Ino smiled and walked right up to Misaki. "You can trust us with any secret, you know that…?"

Misaki nodded. "Of course I know that… Why?"

"Be completely honest."

"Okay."

"Who do you love most in this world?"

Misaki forced a smile and said, "I love Lee the most in this world, of course." The smile quickly faded. "Why do you ask?"

"… No reason."

Sakura sighed. "Ino thought that you loved Kenji."

Misaki shook her head. "No, he's my friend only. Hell, he might even be like my brother after a while, but I don't love him."

Hinata smiled. "Okay, that's good to know."

Misaki turned toward the door. "Lets go. Ino, we'll see you later."

Ino sat down on a bench and sighed.

The other three girls walked out of the locker room. Once again, Misaki tripped, but this time she tripped over her feet and landed just behind Kenji.

Kenji turned around and sighed. "I thought that I was the only one allowed to be that klutzy."

Misaki stood up and glared at Kenji. "This last round's gonna be a cinch!"

Kenji laughed. "You only wish!"

Misaki darted for the track, with Kenji directly behind her.

Misaki stopped on the track and started jumping up and down. "I win, I win!"

Kenji sighed. "I **let** you win!"

"Yeah right!" Misaki stuck out her tongue. "You're losing your touch, shrimp!"

Kenji's eye started twitching. "S-Shrimp?"

"Yep, shrimp!"

"I'M NOT A SHRIMP!!"

Sakura and Hinata ran over to Kenji and held him back from attacking Misaki. "Be nice!"

"TELL HER!"

"I am!" Sakura shouted.

"Um… Kenji, please, calm down!" Hinata begged.

"Yeah, save all that energy for the competition!" Misaki said, running over to Lee and Neji.

Kenji calmed down almost immediately. "Okay…" He smirked. "I'll win this time!"

Sakura sighed and let go of Kenji. "Ya know, you really should be nicer to her. You **are** friends."

Kenji looked back at Sakura and smiled. "I can't change who I am, not for anyone."

Sakura shook her head and walked over to Naruto with Kenji running ahead of her.

In the meantime, team Gai was trying to figure out which order to have themselves in for the baton race.

"Wherever Kenji is, that's where I need to go." Misaki said, nodding.

"Regardless of where he is going, you are going last." Lee said, looking at Misaki.

"What? Why?"

"Because, if you go last and Kenji's not going last then you can finish the race in first." Neji said, shrugging. "What'd you say?"

Misaki smirked. "I say, get ready Kenji, you're going down!"

Lee laughed and Neji sighed.

Meanwhile, team Kakashi was at a slight disagreement…

"Listen to me, Naruto, if I go last we can win this thing no problem!" Kenji said, getting slightly mad.

"He's right, Naruto, you can go second or something!" Sakura nodded.

Naruto sighed in frustration and defeat. "Fine! I'll go first then!"

"Alright, settled!"

"Actually, no it's not." Kenji said, looking over at team Gai.

"What?!" Naruto didn't sound happy.

"It looks like Lee's going to be going first, we need Sakura to go first."

"Me? Why?" Sakura really didn't want to go first.

"Because, you're a faster runner than Naruto and if Neji's second, Naruto has more of a chance to get to me first."

Naruto sighed again. "Fine, I don't care anymore!"

"Good. Settled then."

Sakura sighed too.

"Teams get lined up for the final competition!" Anko shouted over the loud speaker. (She can't just speak, she has to shout…)

Kenji had been right, team Gai had Lee first, followed by Neji, and Misaki was last. Team Kakashi had their line up as Sakura, then Naruto, and last was Kenji. Team Kurenai didn't care because they knew they were gonna be blown away anyway for winning the last round. But their order was Hinata, Shino, and then Kiba.

"Go!" Tsunade shouted from the middle of the field.

Lee and Sakura ran as fast as they could, but Lee was still faster. He got to Neji just before Sakura reached Naruto and handed off the baton. Hinata reached Shino just after Naruto started running.

Just as Kenji had said, Naruto was faster than Neji, but not by much at all. Neji was almost right next to Naruto the entire time.

Misaki started laughing.

"What?" Kenji asked, looking over at her.

"Nice strategy, but it won't work." Misaki smirked. "I'm still gonna win.

They both started jogging so they could get the baton from their teammate as Kenji said, "You only wish!"

As soon as the batons touched their hands, they grabbed them and started running at top speeds. They were both unaware of the giant dust cloud they were leaving behind them as they ran. (Heh-heh…) Kiba, who had started running shortly after them, had to stop shortly after he started running so he didn't get any dust in his lungs.

Tsunade and Anko, who was down in the field now, sighed. They really didn't want another tie.

Unfortunately, Kenji and Misaki had other plans. They were in a dead lock tie and it didn't seem like it was going to change. As they literally dove across the finish line, there was a photo finish just to see if there was a winner.

"Photo finish!" Tsunade shouted. "Very good you two!"

"Why couldn't you've done that earlier?!" Kenji and Misaki both shouted at Tsunade.

"Because the photo finish is only available on the track." Tsunade said, sighing. "Trust me, I wanted to have a photo finish for every race when I realized that you two were in the sports festival this year…but it's only available for this race."

Two photos had printed off, Tsunade and Anko were examining them as Kiba crossed the finish line and the others ran over. Tsunade and Anko kept looking at the pictures for five minutes, unable to believe it.

"You're telling them." Tsunade said, exasperated.

Anko sighed and said, "Even with the photo finish, this race resulted in a tie."

"WHAT?!" Kenji and Misaki asked, unable to believe it either.

Anko pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. "With the results being as they are, teams Kakashi and Gai have tied for the first place trophy. And both teams don't have missions for two weeks."

Kenji and Misaki both smiled and – on some subconscious reaction – hugged each other. "Yaay!"

Neji and Lee both cleared their throats. Kenji and Misaki realized they were hugging and stood three feet apart. Lee stood over by Misaki and Neji stood over by Kenji.

Tsunade sighed in frustration; she was considering revoking the win for the two teams and just giving team Kurenai the time off. But she didn't because the administrators for the festival would be mad at her.

"Team Kurenai finished next and team Asuma gets nothing for their loss!" Anko shouted to the crowd.

Teams Gai and Kakashi ran out of the stadium and only stopped when they were next to the café.

Misaki turned and faced team Kakashi. "Why don't you guys eat with us?"

The three smiled. "Yaay, food!"

Misaki laughed and followed team Kakashi inside.

Lee stopped Neji as he was walking inside. "Neji, I must speak with you. It is about Kenji and Misaki."

Neji looked at Lee. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I would keep an eye on Kenji for the time being."

"Why?"

"I do not know why, but I keep getting this feeling there is more going on than we are told." Lee said, completely serious.

"Come on, they wouldn't do that to us." Neji said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I am not so sure… It is just the way they keep acting around each other."

Neji laughed. "Surely you don't mean the way they were acting at the festival. They were being the same old competitive people, Lee."

"I do not mean during the festival. I am talking about all the time." Lee looked though the glass door and at Misaki and Kenji, whom were both laughing at something Naruto said.

"And?"

"That is not all. While they were at the karaoke bar, I saw them on the floor kissing. Surely, you have noticed how they act."

"W-What?"

Lee nodded once. "They claimed it to be a revenge prank from Kiba, but I am not so sure about that. Kiba backed them, but you know how he is."

Neji thought about it for a minute, and then shook his head. "I think you're being paranoid. Lets go inside before they wonder what **we're** doing."

Lee sighed and followed Neji inside the café.


	6. Looking for an Angel

(Author's Note: I just copy and pasted some of it from Arashi-Kumo's story _Darkness is Gone_, and then put it into my writing style. She gave me permission.)

"_I was very little then. I had almost forgotten about that. But they knew…there would never be room for an onigiri…in a fruits basket."_

~Tohru Honda – _Fruits Basket_

…

Misaki sighed as she looked up at the clouds from the where she sat leaning against a tree. Ara was in her arms, trying to grab a butterfly that was flying just in front of her. Misaki didn't often get time to just relax, and she rarely got time to spend with Ara, being on so many missions.

_I swear Lady Tsunade has it out for me._ Misaki sighed after the thought.

Misaki had been sent on a solo A-Ranked mission just a week ago, she returned the day after completely drained. She'd been sent back to the Land of Wind to destroy a few of Mizukake's followers who'd somehow escaped Kenji's wrath. Except for her beginning to cough of blood again – the only reason she even agreed to go back to the clinic was because of Lee pestering her – the mission was completed without any trouble at all.

Misaki looked down at Ara and smiled, even though her daughter looked a little disappointed that the butterfly had flown away. She stood up and started walking in the direction of Kakashi and Obito's apartment.

Ever since that S-Ranked mission to the Land Of Wind, three weeks ago, Lee hadn't allowed Kenji anywhere near her. Neji talked to her, but every time Kenji's name was brought up he changed the subject immediately. Misaki couldn't stand not being able to see Kenji, though she would never say it, and always managed to sneak over to Kakashi and Obito's with Ara.

Misaki stopped about a block or two away from Kakashi and Obito's apartment and looked up at the sky again. She couldn't but to remember something she was trying to push out of her mind…a meeting between her team, Kenji, and Tsunade just two days after they returned from the Land of Wind.

…

"_Lady Tsunade, I'm fine, really! Lee's just being overprotective!" Misaki pleaded with Tsunade._

_Neji and Kenji suddenly walked into her office, Neji ranting about how they couldn't be late. _

"_But! We left the Hyuuga estate ten minutes ago! How are we late?!" Neji screamed, not believing they were late. _

"_Um… Sorry…?" Kenji apologized, but his tone of voice suggested that he really wasn't, in fact, he couldn't have cared less. _

"_Now that we're here. Kenji, the reason I called you in with Misaki… Everyone noticed your chakra. It's noticeable enough, but now, Kenji. You have way more than before you left. What happened?" Tsunade was going to get answers one way or another. _

"_It's nothing!" Kenji laughed like it was no big deal._

_Misaki looked back at him, trying to hide the clear fear in her eyes, but she knew it wasn't all hidden. She looked at Neji and Lee just to find that they were glaring at Kenji._

"_Kenji Uchiha-Hatake! Do __**not**__ lie to me! What happened?!" Tsunade slammed her hands down on her desk, causing a small stack of papers to fall uselessly to the ground._

"_Please, don't—I can't tell you!" Kenji yelled, Neji moved away from him and everyone knew why, his chakra was becoming wild._

"_Kenji, you have to." Lee replied._

"_Shut the fuck up! You know nothing about this!" Kenji's Sharingan was activated, he felt like he was in danger. _

"_Kenji, please, just tell us." Misaki pleaded, she knew he really didn't want to talk about it, but they had to know._

"_No, I will not say one word about this." Kenji's jaw was clenched, he was gritting his teeth, his whole body shaking. _

"_I'm not kidding. Tell me right now." Tsunade had stood up, she was standing right in front of him, she didn't want to do this. Not at all. However this was to important for her to cave. _

"_What a coward." Lee grunted._

"_If you don't shut your damn mouth you piece of worthless—"_

_Tsunade cut Kenji off. "Kenji! What happened, just explain the situation." Tsunade decided to be gentler with him, hoping that would work. _

"_We…got locked in a cell. After we were attacked. I should've been dead; I lost too much blood from the wound in my throat. I somehow made it, because of Misaki's impromptu medical skills. When I woke up, she… She wasn't… Her breathing was too shallow. I thought she was dead. My body…I got so mad, I broke the chakra restrictors." Kenji stopped, he was sobbing._

_While Neji stood with his team, Misaki went to him and hugged him comfortingly. Misaki knew Lee was furious about it, but couldn't care less._

"_What chakra restrictors? Kenji you can tell us." Misaki said in a soothing voice that made him continue speaking. _

"_Orochimaru, when I was younger, put chakra restrictors on me. After…after I-I….I killed so many people! I didn't mean to, it was an accident! I didn't mean to! I was just a little kid! Dammit I didn't know what I was capable of!" Kenji continued to sob._

Tsunade wrapped her arms around Kenji after Lee all but drug Misaki away from him. "Shh, it's okay. They broke, right, listen. We trust—I trust you. You can control it now. That's why they broke. Your body didn't need them anymore. I'll call your dad here and he'll take you to his and Kakashi's place. I think that's what you need now." She looked over at team Gai. "You three can leave."

…

When Misaki was aware of herself again, she was standing in front of Kakashi and Obito's front door. She shook her head, trying to push out that memory. She had liked being that close to Kenji, being able to take in his body heat and his scent…but that's why she had to forget. Because she liked—no, because she **loved** being able to comfort to Kenji, being able to do something for him, for once.

Misaki sighed again and knocked on the door, which was answered almost immediately by Obito.

"Misaki's here!" Obito yelled back to Kakashi as he took Ara from Misaki.

Misaki let him take her; she knew that Ara was just as much of their family as her own. She walked inside and sat down on the couch next to Kakashi. "Hello."

Kakashi looked over from Icha Icha Violence and nodded. "How've you been lately?"

Misaki sighed yet again. "Same as always. If I didn't have to sneak around, I'd be better."

Kakashi laughed a little bit and continued reading. Obito was playing on the floor with Ara, laughing even though Ara threw a block at his head. Misaki zoned out again, staring blankly at the white wall over the T.V.

_How did I end up here again, on this broken road once again…?_ Misaki asked herself, not realizing that she'd whispered it loud enough for just Kakashi to hear.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, he didn't say anything though. He knew that she hadn't noticed that she'd talked and decided it wasn't best to say anything about it.

"Kashi, can you come help me in the kitchen?" Obito asked from the kitchen.

Kakashi smirked under his mask and put his book back into his weapons bag as he stood up. "Coming."

When Misaki zoned back into the world of the conscious, she'd no idea where Kakashi or Obito went. She stood up and looked into the kitchen, Kakashi's mask was pulled down and she could clearly she his face. That's all Misaki could see from where she was standing, so she walked towards him, only to see that Obito had shoved Kakashi against the wall.

Misaki threw the front door open and ran outside, only to almost run down Kenji. "HELP! THEY'RE KISSING IN THE KITCHEN!!"

Kenji, who seemed more confused than usual, walked into the kitchen. "Hey! Come on now! Stop!" He yelled.

"Why?" Kakashi asked.

"…" Was Kenji and Misaki's only response.

"Oh, uh… Sorry…?" Obito smirked, then put Kakashi's mask back on him.

"I wanted to see you without your mask on, but not like that!" Misaki shook her head and went back to the living room where Ara was still playing on the floor.

"I was telling Kakashi earlier that we could adopt a kid." Obito crashed on the couch.

"Lady Tsunade knows a male pregnancy jutsu." Misaki snickered as she sat down near to Ara.

"Hey, that's a good idea!" Obito cheered.

"I don't think so." Kakashi said darkly.

"I was kiddin' Kashi, I couldn't go without sex for that long."

"SHUT UP!" Misaki and Kenji yelled, covering their ears.

"What?" Obito was somewhat socially clueless, like Kenji. After having severe brain trauma and being around a human eating plant most of his adult life, his social skills were somewhat lacking.

"It's nothing." Kakashi sighed, he personally didn't mind the sex talk, but knew that Kenji and Misaki might.

"Hey Misaki, do you want to go to Ichiraku with me? I'm sure they wouldn't mind watching Ara." Kenji asked almost hopefully.

"Do you care?" She asked, looking over to Obito.

"Nope!" Obito chirped.

"Cool! Let's go!" Misaki grabbed the back of Kenji's shirt and all but drug Kenji out of the apartment.

"Obito, those two are so in love with each other, but they don't see it." Kakashi said sadly.

"I know. It's all but obvious." Obito picked Ara up when she yawned. "Time for a nap!"

…

"So how's it going with Lee?" Kenji asked as they walked down the somewhat crowed street.

"He's being a jackass. How about Neji?"

Kenji sighed. "He hasn't spoken to me since that day in Lady Tsunade's office. He won't even look at me, and I can't blame him really."

This time Misaki sighed. "Kenji, that wasn't your fault. You were a little kid and didn't know any better."

"I murdered seventy people. I should've known it was wrong. But hell, I got praised for it." Kenji just stopped.

Misaki wanted to know more, but could tell that Kenji really didn't want to talk about it and didn't press the matter.

When they arrived at Ichiraku, Naruto and Sasuke were there.

"Yo." Kenji sat next to Naruto, and Misaki sat by Kenji.

"What's up?" Sasuke replied.

"Nothing much. How's training for Hokage going?" Kenji asked Naruto.

"Great! Sasuke-Teme and I are going to go train together after this!" Naruto slurped the rest of his ramen.

"He's bound and determined to find away to defeat Sharingan." Sasuke said in his usual cold voice.

"Heh, good luck!" Misaki sarcastically replied. She hated fighting against Sharingan, it was a pain in the ass…but that didn't mean that she still wouldn't try.

Both of the boys left, which was more like Naruto dragging an unwilling Sasuke away, which Kenji and Misaki both found quite funny.

"It's been awhile since I've been able to see you." Kenji said after he was done.

Misaki nodded. "I heard you had solo S-Rank missions." She said, a bit of fear showing in her voice, though she did try to hide it.

"What? Worried I'm going to get hurt? I'm fine." Kenji reassured her.

"I know, it just scares me… Because, what if you don't come back?" Misaki tried to not let her voice crack, though it was threatening to. She didn't even notice when they had left Ichiraku, Kenji paid.

"I'll always come back, I've got too much to just die. I can't leave my family, or you and Ara." Kenji replied.

"Me? You don't want to leave me?" Misaki said surprisingly, but hiding how happy that made her.

"Why would I want to leave you? You make me happy, and—oh, never mind." Kenji sat down on a bench that was in a secluded spot near one of the ponds surrounding the training grounds.

"What is it?" Misaki sat beside him, she really did want to know if she was going to be without him any longer.

"That mission in Suna…I thought you were dead. If you had of been, I would've killed myself after I avenged your death." Kenji admitted hesitantly.

Misaki was speechless for once; she couldn't believe what she'd heard. After a couple of uncomfortable minutes, she spoke. "Why? Why would you do that…for me?"

"Misaki, this isn't…right. But my father told me his biggest regret…was never telling Kakashi-Sensei how he really felt until he was dying. I don't want to make the same mistake… Misaki, I love you." Kenji couldn't bring himself to look at her; he didn't want to see her reaction. He was sure that it was bad.

"You love me too?" She barely whispered, knowing there was just one traitor tear running down her face.

"Yeah, I love you too." He raised his hand to her face, wiping away the tear that was falling.

"We…are so fucked up." She snickered, and he laughed too.

They just didn't know what to say now. For once, the loudmouths had no words to describe what they were feeling. The fifteen-year-old and sixteen-year-old had no idea how to describe this bliss and serenity that neither had ever felt before.

Misaki smacked him over the head.

"ITAI! What was that for?!" Kenji yelled at her.

"If you ever kill yourself because of me, I will haunt you forever!" Misaki glared at him demonically.

"Okay…?" Kenji flinched away in fear for a split second and then glomped her, pinning her to the bench.

"Hey! What's this for?!" She yelled, though she didn't make any move to escape.

"For hitting me." Kenji curtly replied, then he kissed her chastely on the cheek. He jumped up, and started walking back to his father and Kakashi's apartment like he had done nothing.

"Kenji…I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Misaki ran after him, but he was faster.

Soon they were jumping over roofs, getting many strange looks. The Shinobi just assumed Misaki had finally snapped, and the villagers were so used to it by now they just ignored them.

Kenji literally jumped into the living room through the window, only to barge in on his dad doing something that was making Kakashi beg… Misaki came in a second later, and both of them swore their minds had been violated.

"Oh it's not that bad, you ought to try it sometime." Misaki heard Kakashi tell Kenji, they were in the kitchen.

She then heard a body hit the floor. Assuming it was Kenji, she looked over to Obito. "What exactly were you doing?" She was afraid of the answer, but her curiosity won her over.

"I was giving him a hand job using chakra on my fingertips." Obito replied like nothing was shocking.

Misaki imagined it and fainted after getting a mental image that was incredibly hot, but really unwanted.

…

After a ten-minute bout of unconsciousness, Misaki woke back up. Kenji was still twitching on the kitchen floor; Ara was poking him with a spork.

"Where did she get a spork?" Misaki asked.

"Um…? I don't know." Kakashi then began wondering why they had sporks in the first place.

"Whatever, I actually need to go home." Misaki picked Ara up, who then poked her with the spork. "See you guys later, bye Kenji…" Kenji was still unconscious on the floor. She left, her mind in a million different places. A kiss on the cheek had never left her so dazed.

Misaki walked home happily, she couldn't believe that she wasn't going to be alone on her feelings anymore. She was happy that Kenji felt the exact same for her as she felt for him. It was just something that her mind couldn't completely register even though Misaki knew it had all been real.

Ara had her arms wrapped tightly around her mother's neck, spork still in hand. Misaki lifted her hand to her face and touched the spot on her cheek where Kenji had kissed her, smiling.

Misaki stopped and pulled Ara away from her neck, smiling at her daughter. "Let's go home and listen to some country music!"

Ara giggled in a possible agreement and poked Misaki's arm with the spork again. Misaki started walking again as she hugged Ara to her, allowing Ara to wrap her arms around her neck again.

"How about Rascal Flatts?" Misaki asked Ara, who giggled again in response.


	7. Search and Rescue

Team Gai walked into Tsunade's office, expecting nothing more than Tsunade telling them to tone down the violence ripping her village apart. (Lee and Kenji's fault…again.) Unfortunately, that's not all they were there for…

"I just got back from a mission!" Misaki shouted at Tsunade.

"I'm sorry, but since your teammate seems so eager to cause some destruction, I have no choice." Tsunade said calmly.

"It wasn't just Lee, it was also Kenji!" Misaki yelled, clearly unhappy.

"I know." Tsunade sighed. "I've already sent him on a mission."

Lee shrugged. "I am sorry."

Misaki glared back at him. "You baka!!!"

"Um, I said I am sorry."

Misaki started shaking Lee back and forth by his shoulders. "I! Just! Got! Back!"

Neji backed off, staying out of the line-of-fire.

Misaki had been gone for a week on an assassination mission in the Land of Tea. It went well, the man was dead and she had collected the money. Misaki was unaffected by the man's children calling out to him; she'd seen it many times before. Besides that, Tsunade had promised her that she'd get to rest for a few days after she came back, but that's not going to happen.

Reason being: Lee and Kenji got into a fight almost right after she returned, causing a small part of Konoha to literally crumble. Needless to say, Tsunade wasn't very happy about that.

Tsunade sighed. "Don't worry, this one shouldn't take as long to complete."

Misaki dropped Lee to the ground and faced Tsunade gain. "What is it?"

"Search and rescue of an old friend of mine. A doctor named Sukeko Tatsuoki."

"Where're we going to rescue the good doctor?" Neji asked, scratching the back of his head and yawning.

Tsunade smiled innocently. "Back to the Land of Tea."

Misaki fell over and started twitching. When she went there last time, she was told that part of the country had been launched into a civil war. That was the one place she didn't want to go back to.

Misaki recovered soon enough. "Please tell me you're not sending us directly into that damn civil war!"

"Civil war?" Tsunade was confused. "The last civil war that country saw was nearly ten years ago. You'll be safe, don't worry."

Misaki sighed in relief; Lee and Neji were confused.

"If there is no war, then why are we going on a search and rescue?" Lee asked, still confused.

"It seems that some resistances have started, but it's nothing to be worried about. We just need Dr. Tatsuoki out of there before it becomes serious. Your secondary target is a priest, he may choose his own fate." Tsunade shrugged.

Team Gai nodded.

Tsunade tossed them all wireless radios. "Keep those on at all times, just in case you do run into some of the resistance and need backup. They connect straight to my radio system, just call if you need anything."

They nodded and put the wireless radios on around their necks.

"That's all. You're dismissed."

Team Gai ran out of her office and out of the gate immediately, not stopping to say goodbye to anyone. They just wanted to get the mission started and over with as soon as possible.

…

Upon entering the Land of Tea, they had the same welcome as Misaki had before; people swarming in from every direction asking for help out of the country.

"Why don't we help these people out?" Neji asked as he tried to get a kid to let go of his leg.

"Because that's not our mission." Misaki said emotionlessly, annoyed at the people swarming around her and her team.

"Misaki, I understand that you want to get home, but we should help these people out." Lee said, avoiding the people as best as he could.

Misaki glared back at Lee. "You've no say in what we do! You're the reason we had to come here **as soon as I got home**!"

"I thought I recognized that voice." Kenji said, laughing.

Misaki looked over at Kenji and smiled. "So, you're here too?"

"Yep."

"Are you on the search and rescue mission?"

Kenji shook his head. "I'm here for the same reason you were last time. Luckily for you, it's a different target."

"Yeah, lucky me." Misaki sighed.

If she'd assassinated someone else except the intended target, then someone else would've been sent in Misaki's place. Of course, then she would've gotten lectured and nearly killed by Tsunade.

"Need some help?" Kenji was still laughing, Misaki was surrounded by about fifty kids and didn't look happy.

"Yes!" Misaki shouted.

Kenji whistled. "Hey, I think it's time for you kids to head for home."

That got the kids, and the rest of the people, away from team Gai immediately.

"So, where're you headed?" Kenji asked, walking with Misaki to the village leader's house.

"Not sure." Misaki replied, sighing. "We're looking for a doctor named Sukeko Tatsuoki."

"You said it was a search and rescue, right…?"

Misaki nodded.

"Then you should probably go north. There's a lot of resistance activity going on. That's the most likely place for a doctor to be." Kenji nodded to himself. "A lot of people want out of this country, that doctor's lucky."

"Yeah, lucky doctor, unlucky rescuers." Misaki glared at Kenji. "Next time, don't try to destroy Konoha! You and Lee are the reason that we're here in the first place!"

Kenji laughed innocently. "I'm sorry, I'd no idea you guys would be sent into a mission the minute you returned."

The village leader walked out of his house, smiling. "Oh, hello to you again."

Team Gai bowed in respect.

"Shortly after you left, my son was assassinated." He said sadly.

Misaki stood up straight. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"He really took a liking to you, young lady. He had always liked you, said you were a good person." He smiled. "A trustworthy person."

Misaki mentally slapped herself for killing that man now. "That's nice to know. Listen, we're here on a search and rescue mission."

"Who's the target?"

"A doctor named Sukeko Tatsuoki. Do you know her?"

The village leader nodded. "Yes, she is my daughter."

_Dammit! Why can't I get a break from this family?!_ Misaki shouted in her head.

"I'm Takunosuke Tatsuoki."

"Okay, so where is she?" Misaki asked, not really caring about formalities.

Takunosuke looked to his right, to the area leading out of the small border village. "Sukeko is treating the injured to the north. Be careful, the war has been costly to our people."

Misaki sighed and nodded. "Before we go, I need three of your strongest Shinobi who know the entire region."

Takunosuke nodded. "Of course." He walked inside his house quickly, coming back with two men and a woman. "These three are my two sons and my eldest daughter. Introduce yourselves!"

The woman stepped forward, brushing her light brown hair out of her face. "I'm Ayabe Tatsuoki."

The man closest to Takunosuke stepped up, his light brown hair was swept up into a high ponytail. "I'm Arashiyama Tatsuoki."

The last man was just a little shorter than Kenji, and had brown/black hair. "I'm Toraji Tanenobu."

"Toraji has a different last name." Misaki pointed out. "Is he your son by adoption, or did you just take him in?"

Takunosuke smiled. "I took in Toraji a few months ago, he still prefers his last name of Tanenobu."

"Why do you prefer an old name that reminds you of your old life, Toraji?" Misaki asked, confused.

Toraji smirked. "You will learn in time, child."

Misaki's eye twitched. "I'm not a child!"

Toraji laughed. "Fine then."

Ayabe sighed as she wiped what appeared to be dust off of her dark red tank top and blue jeans. "What're your names?"

"Misaki Kurana."

"Rock Lee."

"Neji Hyuuga."

Ayabe looked over at Kenji. "Who're you?"

Kenji shook his head. "Not part of this mission, I'm staying here."

Arashiyama walked up to Misaki and held a gloved hand out. "Alright, chief, let's go rescue my baby sister."

"Chief?" Misaki hadn't thought she was going to be in charge, especially since she didn't know the area. But, she wasn't going to complain either.

"_Misaki! Misaki Kurana!"_ Tsunade shouted over the radio.

Misaki sighed and pressed the button on the wireless radio. "Yes, Lady Tsunade?"

"_I forgot to tell you, you can change to an individual station if you need to contact one person."_

"Explain."

"_On the wireless radio, there's a dial – zero through six – any radio on this frequency can be attuned to a certain station. Lee is one, Neji is two, and you're three."_

Misaki sighed, more information to remember. "Yes, Lady Tsunade, I got it. Can any more radio's be added to the frequency now?"

"_Of course. Why do you ask?"_

"I need three to be added onto the frequency."

"_What're the serial numbers?"_

"Hold on, one second." Misaki faced Takunosuke. "Get three wireless radios for them."

Takunosuke nodded and ran inside of his house, returning quickly. "Here you go, miss." He handed the radios to Misaki.

Misaki nodded and pressed the button again. "You there?"

"_Yes."_

"Alright, the first one's A17064896S." Misaki had to say the number a few times so Tsunade made sure she had it right.

"_Test it."_

Misaki handed the radio to Ayabe and turned the dial to 4. "Can you hear me, Ayabe?"

Ayabe nodded. "Crystal."

Misaki turned the dial back and pressed the button. "That one worked."

"_Next one."_

"G68306120D."

After a few minutes Tsunade said, _"Test it."_

Misaki handed the radio to Arashiyama and turned the dial to 5. "Can you hear me, Arashiyama?"

"Yep." Arashiyama nodded.

Misaki turned the dial back. "That one's good too."

"_Last one."_

"L59036258P."

After a few minutes Tsunade said, _"Test it."_

Misaki handed Toraji the radio and turned the dial to 6. "Can you hear me, Toraji?"

"Completely." Toraji replied.

Misaki turned the dial back. "We're all connected."

"_Alright, keep me posted."_

"Roger."

Lee looked at Misaki like she'd lost her mind. "What are you thinking? If we are not going into a war zone, we do not need to worry about this."

"I'm not so sure." Misaki shrugged. "Just taking precaution."

Neji nodded. "That's a good thing."

Kenji also nodded. "I agree."

"We'll be heading into a war zone." Ayabe said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Huh?" Misaki didn't like the sound of that at all.

Arashiyama nodded. "Ayabe's right. We'll be heading directly into the heart of the civil war." He pulled up his white pants a little. Arashiyama wore no shirt, showing off rippling muscles across his chest and stomach.

"Great." Misaki said sarcastically, sighing.

Toraji shrugged, his huge black, unzipped, jacket threatening to fall off of his small frame. "It shouldn't be too bad. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Death." Team Gai said simultaneously.

Toraji shrugged again, the left half of his jacket fell completely off, revealing a black tank top. He also wore blue jean shorts. "It doesn't matter, either way. At least you'd die honorably."

Misaki shrugged too. "I don't particularly care, I just want to complete the mission."

Arashiyama nodded. "Then let's get going, the sooner we rescue Sukeko, the better."

Misaki nodded. "Let's go then. The sooner this mission's accomplished, the better."

Everyone except Misaki started walking to the north, she stayed behind to speak to Kenji.

Misaki looked over at Kenji. "Kenji, if I die…I…I just want you to know that…"

Kenji sighed. "You won't die, so don't even say that."

"But—"

"Don't!"

Misaki sighed. "But, I just wanted to say that…I…"

Kenji brushed some hair out of Misaki's face. "I know."

Misaki smiled a little.

"Now, I'll see you back in Konoha in a few days." Kenji said, smiling.

Misaki turned around, still smiling, and waved. "Yeah, we'll see each other then."

…

"So, where exactly is your sister?" Misaki asked Ayabe, looking at the map with her.

Ayabe pointed to secluded area just a few miles north of where they were. "That's where Sukeko has a small clinic set up."

The group had stopped about ten miles into a forest that had been fifty miles away from the border village. Misaki, who had been unknowingly elected leader by the three siblings, had no idea where exactly they were going and needed to look at the map.

Misaki nodded. "Good, we need to get her and get out. Do you know a priest that's there too?"

Ayabe shook her head.

"I know a priest that **could** be there." Toraji said, walking over to the girls.

"His name?" Misaki asked, leaning against a tree.

"Kumazawa." Toraji said.

"That a last name or a first name?" Lee asked, standing next to Misaki.

"We're not sure." Arashiyama said, shrugging. "That's what the adults called him, the children just called him Kuma. He left shortly after Sukeko did, we assumed he followed her to help the injured." (Author's Note: Kuma = Bear)

"That doesn't give us much information." Neji said, sighing. "We don't even know if this Kumazawa guy is our target."

"The other priests left this country as soon as they could, Kumazawa is the only priest we know of."

"Why would the priests leave a peaceful area?" Misaki asked, confused.

"This area hasn't been peaceful for nearly two years. There's been a civil war going on in the northern region." Toraji said, shaking his head. "We'll be heading right into the heart of it to rescue Sukeko and Kumazawa."

"The priest is allowed to choose his own fate." Lee said.

Ayabe put the map back into her pocket. "Let's continue. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get Sukeko and get out."

Misaki popped her back and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

The group ran through the forest as fast as they could and came upon a small village-like place. A church was across from a clinic-looking place; a few huts were there as well. All the buildings were made from, what looked like, bamboo and straw.

Misaki faced the siblings. "Go find the priest, the rest of us will get Dr. Tatsuoki."

"But that's our sister!" Arashiyama argued.

Misaki glared at him. "Don't argue! Do as you're told!"

"Come on, just do as you're told." Ayabe sighed.

Arashiyama shook his head and followed his older sister and younger brother to the church.

Misaki ran into the clinic quietly with Lee and Neji following closely. When they entered, the three saw the extent of what the war was doing to the people. People were missing legs, arms, eyes, parts of their faces, etc. Regardless, the three Shinobi didn't look at the injured and walked straight to the back where they heard three voices coming from.

Misaki pulled back the thin curtain that divided the clinic.

"What're you doing?!" One woman shouted.

"We're looking for Sukeko Tatsuoki." Misaki said, completely ignoring the one who yelled at her.

"What do you want?! Can't you see we're in the middle of surgery?!" The girl standing in the middle with black hair shouted.

"Are you Dr. Tatsuoki?"

"Yes, but I'm in the middle of something! As soon as I'm done, I'll speak with you!" She turned her attention back to the man bleeding on the metal table in front of her.

Misaki sighed in frustration. "Neji!"

Neji walked up to Misaki. "Yeah?"

"If somebody takes your place, can I talk to you?" Misaki asked.

Sukeko sighed and looked at Neji. "Are you a doctor?"

Neji shook his head. "No ma'am."

"How much about medicine do you know?"

"Enough."

Sukeko sighed again. "Fine, take over. You two tell him what to do."

"Yes ma'am." The other two women said as Neji waked over where Sukeko once stood.

"Okay, let's talk." Sukeko said, taking off the mask and surgical gown she had on. She was wearing a white collared shirt and blue jeans; her hair was bound back in a high ponytail.

Misaki followed Sukeko outside.

"What do you want here?" Sukeko asked, obviously annoyed.

"My team was sent here to get you out before the violence in this region escalades." Misaki sighed, one of her hands rested on her hip.

"I will not leave these people here." Sukeko said, shaking her head.

Misaki sighed. "Listen, Dr. Tatsuoki, we don't have much—"

Lee walked up to Misaki. "This place is really beautiful. Perfect for—"

Misaki blushed furiously. "Lee! Go watch for the enemy!"

Lee shrugged and jumped into a nearby tree.

"Sorry about that."

"No problem, it happens all the time." Sukeko laughed.

"Anyway, there's not much time. We have to get you out of this country." Misaki sighed. "We can get you to the Land of Fire, but we'll have to take the long way around."

"And my people?"

"What about them? They're not my problem."

Sukeko looked at Misaki with a disgusted look. "You disgust me! Damn Shinobi pig!"

Misaki stayed surprisingly calm. "I suggest you go find your priest, your siblings haven't found him yet."

"What about my people?!"

Misaki sighed and kicked the ground. "Give me a minute to think about it, alright."

"A minute?"

"Sixty goddamn seconds!"

Sukeko nodded and ran towards the church.

"Lee!"

Lee jumped down from the tree. "Yes?"

"What am I supposed to do?"

Lee shrugged. "I suggest calling Lady Tsunade, she will tell you."

Misaki nodded and pressed the button on the wireless radio. "Lady Tsunade."

"_What?"_

"We've got a problem."

"_What problem? Did you find Dr. Tatsuoki?"_

"Yes ma'am, but that's not the problem."

"_What's the problem then?"_

"She won't leave without her people. The injured."

"_They're not your problem! Get the mission done!"_

"I will, I just don't know what to do."

"_Take care of it!"_

Misaki sighed. "I will."

"_Good. The pick-up zone is about thirty-five miles into the northern border of the Land of Tea. I'm sending trucks from a post in the country north of there."_

"Yes ma'am."

"_Over and out."_

Misaki looked at Lee.

"What did she say?" Lee asked.

"What'd you think she said?" Misaki walked into the church.

"He's dead?!" Sukeko shouted.

"He was assassinated." Ayabe said, looking directly at Sukeko.

"Who would want to kill my husband?!"

Misaki stopped in her tracks. _Shit! Fuck! Dammit!_

Sukeko looked over at Misaki. "So, what's your decision?"

Misaki sighed and walked over to Sukeko. "Are you a Tatsuoki by blood, or by marriage?"

"Marriage. My husband was apparently assassinated recently though." Sukeko shook her head.

"Okay." Misaki sighed and shook her head. "Get as many people as you can. Only if they can get around on their own though, leave anyone who can't walk for more than an hour. You have a half hour."

Sukeko nodded and ran out of the church with a man beside her.

"What're you planning?" Toraji asked, sitting on a step.

Misaki turned and walked out of the church.

Neji ran over to her. "What're you thinking? We can't take these people with us!"

"Lady Tsunade is sending trucks from a country north of here." Misaki said emotionlessly. "We **will** complete our mission."

Neji nodded. "I understand."


End file.
